Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Friday 7^th December

10.30 pm.

My own most precious darling,

I was very thrilled this morning when two letters arrived from you, one written on Monday and the other on Tuesday – thanks ever so, darling – so the parcels have arrived at last – they really didn’t take long did they?  My sweetheart of course you

are to have the manicure set, it is just a very tiny present from me – the razors, cut-throat should make a very good present for Bill – one of the half Colonels in our mess brought a set and sent it home where it fetched £7-10-0 – so old Bill will have a bumper present this year, and quite right too.  I had NO repeat NO intention of selling it and I can think of no more suitable way of disposing of it than giving it to Bill – a very excellent idea on your part.  I was very interested to hear of your gardening exploits and laughed like a closet when I read of the episode with the snails – I hope you didn’t disturb them too much.  Do I remember your blue jacket, am I ever likely to forget it?  NO Sir – it was, in my humble opinion, always one of your sweetest garments, and with the black skirt you have brought and the black accessories you will look, if it is possible, even sweeter than ever – I’m just longing to see you in it – what about putting it on to meet me in that, and the coat I love so much, good old ‘pony’ – the first little piece of glamour I remember about you – my old heart always used to beat that much faster whenever I caught sight of ‘pony’!  To use rather a hackneyed phrase ‘I just couldn’t agree more’ with your sentiments on the subject of our leave – slight planning for Xmas and Boxing days but for the rest we will do exactly as our fancy may dictate and will please ourselves as to what we do – Today has been a very quiet one and I was away from the office at 6 ocl but back here again at 8 for our table tennis match, which was a complete walk over – out of the 20 games played we lost only 1 and I had no difficulty in winning my 4 games – we are having a real table tennis evening – the visiting team left at 10 ocl and afterwards Leonard Olney and I played a 5 game match – he and our 2 other officer members of the team are battling away now and I must shortly return to play the winner.  It’s been, and still is, an absolute freezer here today and I wasn’t sorry to have spent nearly all day indoors – I very much doubt whether our hockey will come off tomorrow – As the state of the poll stands at the moment with my returning on the 17^th there are now only 9 days to go before I’m home, and, like you, I can think of nothing else but that – oh! how I’m absolutely LONGING for it – when January comes can our D Day be far behind?  No ma’am!  Well, dearest girl, here’s to Monday week and may the next 9 days go by in a flash.  God bless and keep you, my own most dearly beloved, always.  ALL my love to you, I’m yours, only yours,

            For ever and always,

                        Peter

In envelope headed ‘O A S’ addressed to Mrs Peter C Benham, 9 Vint Crescent Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 6DE 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.      

On front of envelope 6 Dec.

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