Pte J.A. Moult 13302 B Coy

8^th Leicesters B.E.F.

Wed Nov 10^th

Dear Sir,

            I think it my duty to write you these few lines letting you know I am going on alright out here and am in the pink of condition.  We are still trying to overthrow these creatures who are trying to rule the world and I hope before long we succeed in our act.  I think it was very rotten in the murdering of Nurse Cavell.  But I think that before long we shall catch the napping.  We have got a very nice chaplin in out Batt he comes in the firing line and gives us cigarettes regardless of his own cost even when the shells are flying around.  When Mr Mackenzie was vicar of Whitwick I was in the Church Choir 4 years and Dad was Choirmaster and captain of bell ringers for a long while but I daresay you have seen his name on the tablet against the vestry.  I’m pleased to tell you I had a Church Magazine sent me whilst in the firing line by my old friend Mr John Pawson and I was very pleased with it.  Sir will you tell Mr Bastard I received his letter alright and I will answer it as soon as I get the chance.  I saw you had a memorial service in respect of my old chum H. Hurst he was along with me out here and I was very sorry to part from him, he was one of my best pals.  Sir would you kindly remember me to Mr Rawson as I shall have to close now hoping these few lines find you all at home in the best of health as it leaves me at present.

Yours most sincerely

Pte. J.A. Moult

In envelope addressed to Rev T.W. Walters, The Vicarage, Leicester Rd, Whitwick, Leicestershire.  England.

Letter postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE ****.  NO 12 15.

PASSED BY CENSOR 1950 in triangular cachet in red.

On Y.M.C.A. with His Majesty’s Fleet headed notepaper.

Nov 10^th 1915

Address Reply to Blandford Camp Dorset

c/o Mrs Amos Allen

home address 32 Silver Street Whitwick

Dear Sir,

            Just a line hoping to find you all well at Whitwick as it leaves me A1at present, Dear Sir I am leaving the Palace tomorrow Thursday and going to Blandford, and I am going as a P.T.I. there to which means Physical Training Instructor of the R.N.D. Camp down there I have been rated to Leading Seaman and second Class Instructor which is the first step in my new undertaking and I hope to come off at the Top – if I can do so, I will write as soon as I get there tomorrow night Thursday so that you may have my new address, I hope things are going on well at the old Church, and I see that in the times you have a nice Plate put up in remembrance of my old Pal E. Tugby as we where old scoll palls, and I hope to be with you for 7 days at Xmass or New Years, Dear Sir remember me to all kind friends at home.  I will have to close now wishing you good night from one of the Mens Service Boys

Alfred John Wilson

P.T.I., R.N.D. Camp

Blandford

Dorsetshere.

In Y.M.C.A. envelope addressed to The Rev T.W. Walters M.A. Leicester Rd, Whitwick, Leicestershire.

Postmarked NORWOOD S.E. 10 NOV 15.  And on back of envelope COALVILLE LEICESTER 11 NO 15.

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Thursday 8^th November

My dearest Maz

I thought I would drop you a line tonight, as I’m off to Brussels tomorrow and I hea me doots if I shall be able to write on Sunday – a signal came in yesterday announcing the team which has been selected for Sunday and I’m pleased to say my name was right there – I saw the Chief of Staff this morning and asked if he had any objection to my going and, of course, he hadn’t (couldn’t have even if he’d wanted as the Rhine Army signal read ‘Corps will make the above players available etc!)  I shall be off in the morning and we assemble at Rhine Army HQ at 3 pm, catch a train and get to Brussels just before midnight.  It should be great fun, and I’ll give you a full account of it all when I get back, probably on Monday evening.  So far this week I’ve been very busy but managed to get some exercise yesterday in a pick-up game we had, my legs have completely healed and there are no ill effects.

The mail has been simply frightful this week, since Sunday.  I’ve had three four letters one each from you and Pari, Elli and Eileen.  I was delighted to get your letter on Monday written last Friday and choc-a-bloc with interesting items of news, I was very relieved to hear that the canteen fetched £35, we paid £40 (Woodward’s valuation), so it might have been worse – the price the piano fetched was a real good ‘un, wasn’t it?  I shall be most interested to hear what the other stuff made.

I must say from all accounts, and speaking comparatively, I think the local election results might have been a lot worse, the big thing is that the Reds haven’t got control – I can see I shall have to do something about it when I can get the time.  I was sorry to hear that Ernest got put off, but somehow rather expected it.  Tomorrow is the 5^th anniversary of that never-to-be-forgotten day, 9 Nov 40, and when I look back on the past 5 years I realise more than ever how wonderfully lucky I’ve been in nearly every way.  I say ‘nearly’ because the events of June 44 just prevent it from being 100%; parents who to me never seem to grow older and are always the same, brother as kind-hearted as anyone could be, wife whom I love now more, if it’s possible, than I did when I married her – Yes, I have many blessings for which I am truly thankful, and my only hope and prayer is, that these things may never change – let the Labour people do their damndest to make ones lot a stereotyped one, a nation of puny civil servants with no ambition and no character, they must never assault the family way of life, one thing is sure, they will never succeed in the long run, not with our family anyway.  Now, little Maz, I must away – here’s to Christmas and seeing you again, my love to Pari and Elli and my thanks for their most welcome letters.  Much love to you

            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 9 NO 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.    

On front of envelope Written Nov 5^th 1945 rec Nov 12^th 1945 (14)

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

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 4 November 45

My dearest Maz

Your second letter this week reached me this morning and I was delighted to hear all your news.  I am very much looking forward to the arrival of the cake, many thanks in advance!  On Tuesday your letter written last Friday arrived containing, inter alia, the news about John having to go to Norway – it made me simply furious and is yet another example of what one has to contend with these days in the army, it is one of the more scandalous things, pure breach of promise, I’ve heard for a long time.  I’m glad to hear that you have started to drive again – is there any news of the new car yet?  I was so very sorry to hear about Frank Grimwade, probably though a good thing in many ways, but Mrs G will be very lonely without him, won’t she? 

I can’t quite make out why they wouldn’t allow my vote in the local elections, I am on the register and, I should have thought, was entitled to a vote, by proxy or otherwise, whether I was in the Borough or Timbuktu – I just can’t fathom the way these things are run.  How some-ever I was very pleased to see in yesterday’s Daily Herald (a revolting bolshie rag) that Colchester was NOT one of the towns captured by labour, though they had eight gains – I wonder who they were and await details of those who got in, with great interest.

You certainly had an ‘old fashioned’ day at Clacton and I was most interested to hear about David, he is very wise to try and stay in the Air line as there will always be an opening there and he really isn’t trained for very much else, is he?

All being well I’m hoping to get my leave at Christmas time, won’t it be wizard if I do.  My course, which was due to start on 11^th Nov has been postponed yet again and is now due to commence on 9^th Dec and finishes on 21^st Dec.  I have been told that I can go on leave as soon as the course is over and am trying to get a vacancy which would mean my arrival back home on the 23^rd or 24^th.  I don’t think I’ve ever looked forward to anything quite so much.  I haven’t been home for Christmas since 1939.  Only 7 more weeks to go.  I have, on account of my change of job, been very busy this week, mostly picking up the threads, but I’ve managed to get 2 excellent games of hockey, apart from these I’ve done absolutely nothing interesting, no films no ENSA shows.  The first game was on Wednesday up at Rhine Army HQ, the big trial match.  The ground was rather bumpy but considering this and the fact that 22 players had been gathered in from miles round, the game was an excellent one.  I played ‘fairly’ well, not as well as I should have liked but scored 2 fairly good goals and am hoping for the best.  The team won’t be announced until Tuesday as 8 Corps weren’t represented in our trial and held one of their own in Hamburg yesterday.  I met no fewer than 3 of my old Uppingham contemporaries playing, John Singleton who was in the team in 1934/35, and two Fawcus brothers, one of whom played a really first class game in goal.

On Thursday the second game was against the local General Hospital side, in the final of the Iserlohn Knock Out Cup.  It wasn’t a very good game as we were far too good for them, leading 5-0 at half time and the play in the second half deteriorated a lot, and we won 6-0 (3).  I had a most unfortunate little accident just after the second half had started.  One of the opposition caught me across the leg with his stick and I can only think that a piece of flint must have been embedded in his stick, as something punched a neat hole straight through my stocking and deep into my leg – the MO packed it with sulphamide (?) and put a clip across it in lieu of a stitch.  He took the clip off yesterday and I’m pleased to say it has now almost completely recovered.  Still no news about demob though one rather brighter thing is that Group 21 (Officers only) not due to be completed until 22 Feb is now going to be out by 12 Dec which is bound to have its repercussions on later groups.  I am duty officer all day today, rather sad in view of the weather, no wind, no cloud and just the day for some good outdoor exercise.  Well, little Maz, I must bash on with a few outstanding jobs I suppose so that I start the week with a clean sheet.  My love to Pari and Elli and my thanks to them both for their many welcome letters. 

Much love to you, Maz dear, am so longing to see you again next month all being well

            Yours as ever

very affectionately

                        Peter

PS.  I hope the big sale was more successful than the gramophone!  Eileen said she saw some of the things in Dansie’s window – she should have gone to the sale and bidded some of the prices up!!

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 5 NO 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.    

On front of envelope Written Nov 4^th 1945 rec Nov 7^th 1945 (13)

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

c/o Mr O’Shea

33 Dale Road

Luton

2/11/14

Rev^d T.W. Walters.

Rev^d Sir,

            Having a few minutes to spare I thought I would send you a few lines.

            My journey back to Luton last Sunday week was not very gay for on top of leaving home & friends I got well wet in the rain.

We had some very stiff days last week & on the Monday evening we had night operations, we left our quarters at 5 o’clock & when we arrived at our destination we had to dig out trenches, which are 2 feet wide & 4.6 feet deep.  At 6.50 I was sent into a turnip field as an enemy-drawer, which means that as soon as the enemy approaches I had to commence rapid firing to make them believe that there were a large number of us together & so get them to come towards us & leave the main part of the company in the trenches unattacked.  I lay on by stomach till 5.15 & was so cold that I could only just manage to get up.  Unfortunately the enemy did not get anywhere near us.

You will no doubt be pleased to hear I have received my first promotion to Lancs Corporal on Wednesday which carries with it extra pay.

On Friday last we had a Sham Fight which I don’t think was quite a success, somehow or other the main army reserves got in the fight first.

When we leave England we shall not be allowed to take anything but what we stand up in, the total weight we shall carry will be 59 lbs 6¾ ozs.

This week I am orderly corporal & have to remain at home all week to take charge of the barracks.

I must now close with kindest regards to Mrs Walters & yourself

Yrs obediently

Albert Will Hanson Lc Cpl

A Coy 5^th Batt Leicester Regt

P.S.  I enclose a photo of myself.  Just heard we shall probably be on the move next week.

There is no envelope with this letter.