Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Tuesday 13^th November ‘45

My dearest Maz

 When I got back to the mess last night I found your wonderful cake waiting for me.  I sampled a piece before I went to bed and I can truthfully say it is one, if not the, of the best ever, it’s a real beauty – thank you so very much, Maz dear, and thank you also for your anniversary letter which couldn’t have been better timed, it came on Friday 9^th just before I set out on the long journey to Brussels – again many thanks – I think you really are safe to say that this will be the last anniversary we shall not be together for, I hope and pray it is.  Then today more news from you and a lovely bundle of papers – most gratefully received, but your news had the same effect on me as the actual hearing of it had on you, I saw red at once, in the double meaning of the word.  Poor old Pari, I can see him so well, completely dignified absolutely unruffled, but no one can see his labours, his time and money, spent on his town, swept aside but an unscrupulous, ungrateful, cowardly lot of – well I won’t say it, without feeling bitterly hurt – they are cowards because there must have been many who voted against him who had no desire to do so, but whose hearts if they have any are ruled by the whip, and what a crooked whip it is.  I feel very sorry, too, for Percy Sanders and Blomfield, both men who have given much for the benefit of all, no I felt and feel just as you do about it, but it’s no good crying over spilt milk and one must bide ones time, it will come alright, when one can fight their ideals which just won’t turn out the way they want in practice.  I had such nice letters from Pari and Elli on the 9^th and tomorrow night will see me penning a long letter to Pari and one to Elli later on in the week.  The trip to Brussels was great fun and the match a thoroughly good and enjoyable one – we were beaten 2-1, but no-one minds being beaten when the game is even and played cleanly and in a good spirit.  Sunday just couldn’t have been a worse day, it just poured all the morning and never looked like stopping, it didn’t!  they had ‘billed’ the game and civilians were charger 30 francs to watch, and considering the frightful day, the crowd of between 2-300 was an amazingly good one.  The game was very fast despite the fact that the ground was very boggy and one of the circles was under water – it didn’t make it any easier for the inside forwards, and I was completely ‘done’ after the game after trying to ‘tackle back’ and keep up at the same time – I was quite satisfied with my game and the whole team didn’t do at all badly against a team which included 6 or 7 internationals – on a dryer ground I think our methods would have been more successful, as it was we were 0-0 at half time, and then had the waterlogged circle to play into – our inside right scored the goal about 10 minutes from the end.  The journey back and forth to Brussels was a nightmare, 15 ½ hours in the train going and 15 hours coming back, and the carriages weren’t heated!

We got to Brussels at 9.30 am on Saturday and after a late breakfast and a shave I went up to the Avenue Louise where Germaine and Maurice were expecting me and after lunch we went to the Golf Club where I met and played a round with two most charming men, Wasscher and his son.  He is the Wasscher and Watson tennis man, and his son is the coming Belgian best-ever – already no 2 in Belgium and only 24 – a very nice boy, quiet and completely unaffected.  Needless to say I had a very early night on Saturday and slept right in on Sunday morning.  As I say it was a very good trip, though the weather couldn’t have been more unkind to us, and when I got back here yesterday there was snow on the ground and a snowstorm raging.  Am I longing for Christmas? Yessir! and am I longing to see you again?  Yessiree!  Much love to you, Maz dear, and to Pari and Elli, many thanks again for that wizard cake.

            Yours as ever

very affectionately

                        Peter

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 14 NO 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.  

On front of envelope Written Nov 13^th 1945 rec Nov 17^th 1945 (15)

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