G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Monday 1 October

My dearest Maz

 I have just returned from my little holiday which has been most successful and am feeling a trifle weary after the 7 hour journey – we left Brussels a 2 ocl and I got back to the mess at 9 ocl – I have so much to tell you that I think I shall have to write this in two instalments, the second one tomorrow – before I tell you all about my journey to Zoute and Brussels I must thank you for your most welcome letter written just after you had got back from Bournemouth – I was very pleased to hear how well the car behaved coming back and that the holiday was such a good one, it will have done you such a power o’ good – Pari by now will be a full blown civilian and I am writing him a short note anon – I hope you received my p.c’s – I sent them via a letter to Eileen, I’m not sure what the drill is for sending p.c’s so thought it safer to send them that way.  I set off from here at 8.30 am on Wednesday and when I got to Brussels was told by the concierge at the flat that the Hanisons were still in Zoute so back into my jeep I got the next stop, at 5.15 pm was Zoute itself – I got a tremendous kick out of seeing the Bruges clock tower on my left and a signpost reading Knocke 13 km.  The Hanions and Maurice were delighted to see me and were all in excellent form – the old man was better and I met him out for a very slow walk on two sticks going up the Avenue Elizabeth when I got there – I dumped my bag and sent the driver plus jeep back here.  We didn’t go out in the evening so my first tour d’exploration was on Thursday morning when I walked down passed the Golf and Tennis club, the hotels we knew so well, Links (sic !), Golf, Tennis, St Andrews etc to the Place d’Albert brought some p.c’s and returned as it started to rain, feeling very depressed by what I had seen – before the place was liberated there had been quite a bit of shelling etc and as a start the Pro shop and cloakroom buildings were both completely razed to the ground, the 17^th and 18^th holes just wilderness of long grass and barbed wire – opposite the ‘centre’ court has shaggy grass growing all over it and the kiosk has stopped a shell of some sort and has collapsed sideways – moving down, the Links Hotel which was opposite the St Andrews is just a neat pile of stones and everywhere there is that uninhabited and barbed-wired look about – however all, nearly all, the villas on the sides of that Avenue, remember Les Hirondelles? – they are all, again nearly all, untouched and are being lived in – the place d’Albert itself is no more, just a lot of sand (the Boche had just a huge concrete pill-box in the centre – now demolished) and the Carlton and the Hotel the other side of the square all just empty, bricked up windows and completely uninhabited – I am enclosing a photo of the Carlton – no bricked up lower windows, no glass above and battered condition – all the Hotels right along the front are the same and holes have been knocked in the walls so that there was internal access all the way along, thus forming part of the West Wall.  Thank goodness they hadn’t been so thorough in Normandy!

Tues.  I have just finished lunch after a busy morning at the office and a real field day of letters including two most welcome ones from you, one from Pari and two from Elli who so successfully carried out my mission.  So very many thanks for your letters dated 25^th and 28^th – what a lovely day you had on the beach, no one wishes he could have been there more than I, perhaps in 1947 I may be, one never knows!  I believe Isaacs is making another statement this evening though it will be of no interest to BAOR officers.  Yes.  I fear your tennis days this year are drawing to an end and these last few days, cold and wet, have been a sharp reminder that the summer is over.  I played golf every day I was away and the 9 holes at Zoute are not at all bad – we went over to Siska (remember the children’s play grounds?) and had a waffle tea before playing, in the rain, 16 holes.  Germaine played 9 with us and came back and picked us up – the holes are all at the far end of the course, one being the ‘windmill’ hole and are in fair condition.  On Friday, in slightly improved conditions we played 18 holes after tea and both matches I beat Maurice by the last putt on the last green.  The H’s were in great form and gave me excellent food, and made me very comfortable in their very charming villa which looks out onto the 17^th green.  On Saturday Maurice and I caught a train for Brussels at Bruges and after lunch chez M we went up to Waterloo where he and I were beaten in a very close 4 ball – beaten by some quite exceptional putting.  I wasn’t playing quite so well as I was at Zoute where I really played quite well, but was satisfied.  In the evening he and I went to a film ‘La Belle de Mexico’, not a very good show.  M was due to tee off in the usual Sunday competition at 12.45 so we had an early lunch and I borrowed some clubs and put in a little practice before going back into Brussels for tea – I met M by arrangement at 7 ocl and gave him a good dinner at an ‘officers’ only’ hotel and afterwards we went to a very good Music Hall show.  I spent Monday morning shopping and you will be pleased to hear that the cake tin will soon be on its way back to you.  After a good lunch we set off at 2 ocl and so home.  Now, Maz dear, I must close and get back to the office (I am already 15mins late!).  Much love to you, and to Pari and Elli.  Much love

            Yours as ever

very affectionately

                        Peter

PS  Many thanks also for ECS and the papers received this morning.

In envelope headed ‘O A S’ addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 3 OC 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.    

On front of envelope Written Oct 1^st 1945 rec Oct 5^th 1945 (8)

On back of envelope Major P.C. Benham, G Branch, HQ 1 Corps District, BAOR.