D -48

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Friday 25^th January

10.45 pm.

My own most precious darling,

Not only am I writing on your paper, I’m also smoking one of your cigs – what a lovely surprise packet it was to find on return from the Training Centre at 10 pm – many thanks, you wizard, for everything – you must be psychic (?) – I finished my last 2 oz tin of Players De Luxe yesterday.

I had quite an enjoyable and successful day – it was very cold but brilliant sunshine when I left here at 9.15 but we ran into one very bad 20 mile stretch of fog just about half way which meant I arrived some 15 minutes late for the Board, convened to say whether or not a proposed range site was safe, but it couldn’t have mattered less, as, for the same reason, two of the other members were later than I was – I had a very good lunch in the Trg Centre Mess and afterwards we all went out to examine the proposed site – we finished just before tea and at 5.30 I duly presented myself at the PT School where I was treated like a junior king!  The lecture to some 40 students seemed to go down fairly well, lasted well over the scheduled time and was greeted at the end by what I like to think was spontaneous applause.  I decided not to stay to dinner and we hit the road at 7.20 and I reckoned we would be back at 9.30 – (I had laid on sandwiches and a thermos of tea for my return), but the same patch of fog was hanging around and I didn’t get back to the office until 10 ocl, which under the circs wasn’t bad going – I went up to the office with two main objects in view (a) mail and (b) to see if there was any news about the tour in Holland.  I was thrilled to find your parcel there, (that old tin has done yeoman service!) and I also found letter from Lois and Gerald.  Just to add to the more pleasant things, I found a long signal from BAOR giving the team selected for the tour – and I’m pleased to say that yours truly has been chosen.  We go up to Bad Oeynhausen on Wednesday and by car from there to Holland on Thursday playing matches on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and back on Monday – I only hope the ground thaws out a bit as it should be great fun.  Since Wednesday I have cut my cigarette consumption to 10 per day – it makes me wonder how many a day I really was smoking before, anyway 10 a day isn’t too bad, and I don’t find it very difficult to do.  Well, my little angel, I must to beddy-byes (sorry!) and must say bon soir et au revoir.  God bless and keep you, my dearest heart, always.  Don’t forget that every minute of every day, you are in my thoughts and that I love you terribly, terribly much – again a thousand thanks for the parcel.

Yours, with all my heart

            for always,

                        Peter

In envelope headed ‘O A S’ addressed to Mrs Peter C Benham, 9 Vint Crescent Colchester Essex.  Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 date missing.  Signed P.C. Benham.  On front of envelope 25 Jan.

D -49

Chad drawing  with “Wot!  Forties already?

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Thursday 24^th January

11 pm.

My own most precious darling,

My programme didn’t quite go according to plan this evening though I wasn’t late back from the office and put in a spot of work before dinner – afterwards several of us went along to Studio 1 where we saw Irene Dunne (she was good) in a very poor film called ‘Over 21’, mixing comedy with the typical Yank war aims and idols served up by elderly chaps graduating from Officers schools addressing other graduates on passing out parades, the only thing missing was Shirley Temple inspecting the cadets!  Otherwise today has been like any other day plenty of work to do etc, just the same old routine.  The one bright spot was the arrival of your Sunday (0040 hrs!) letter for which my angel, many thanks.  I hope the face is better, I want to see that unblemished peach bloom when we meet in London in 7 weeks from today, so stop dat squeezin’ momma, lay de tweezers down!  As for say ‘when you’re here I don’t have time to dilly dally on such things’ – well, well, well!  You certainly have got a shoe problem on your hands (sic!) and I don’t honestly know what to advise you to do – as you say once you get one pair of Baber shoes then you will have to go on getting them, and I can’t help feeling you would be wiser if the Thurston pair is the only uncomfortable one you have, to cut your loss and not wear them again – and this seems to be the course provided the others give you no pain when you wear them – I can’t help wondering what rake off from Baber’s your chiropodist friend gets – perhaps I am maligning her, I wonder?  Anyway you want to work on the principle that comfort is the essence of the contract and the curing of the toe.

Poor old Bill is having a bad time of it, though he has the advantage of being a qualified accountant but I’m afraid his profession more that any others, must be a very difficult one for those who have been in the Services.  Reason, of course, being that Accountants at one time were reserved up ‘til 30, if not all the time, any rate up to 35 – look at the Russel Wrays and Algy Goddards and the host of other fit and comparatively young men which go to make up Bland Fielder and Co.  Lawyers, conversely, are in very short supply, hence my hope that the exam standard won’t be too high, and desire to take it at the earliest opportunity – the longer one leaves it the lower the percentage of passes.

The ‘green book’ is on its way at last, as will shortly be a consignment of books, they are wrapped up and the parcel now needs a label etc.  Tomorrow I have to go over to Paderborn to sit on a Board convened to say whether or not a certain area is suitable for construction of rifle ranges a long and tedious procedure – at 6 ocl I have to give a lecture on Hockey at the Rhine Army School of PT – I shan’t be back until about 10ish but shall call in at the office to see whether there has been any mail from you.  The days are ticking past now and we now have the same length of time ahead as we had a fortnight before I came on leave and now, if you see what I mean!  I can hardly wait for it all, hardly wait for the days when the words ‘to have and to hold’ will be true for ever – then at last will we know the meaning of real happiness and days together when we need no longer say ‘this is our crowded hour, eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we part’ – how strange to start with it will it all be, how wonderfully strange, how I hope and pray that the Fates are kind to us – we start off with the best advantage in the world, that we love each other and are so very much part of each other – it must always stay that way – God bless you, angel heart, and keep you – it won’t be long now and bash on the day when I press button A; ALL my love is 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 25 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 24 Jan.

Final Periodical List of Honours and Awards

Approved by HM the King

Published in Supplement to London Gazette No 37442 dated 24 Jan 46

HQ 1 Corps District.

CB

Maj-Gen P.M. Balfour CBE MC                             BGS   

CBE

Brig H.E. Pike DSO RE                                           CE

OBE

Lt-Col R.M. Allen                              R Norfolk       AQMG

The Rev G.H. Browning                 RA Ch D        Senior Chaplain

Lt-Col P Godfrey-Faussett             RB                  DPM

Lt-Col L.S. Michael                          RA                  G(SB)

MBE

Maj (now Lt-Col) J.A.A. Beer         Int Corps        Mil Gov

Maj P.C. Benham                            RA                  G

Maj H.C. Bolt                                    Mx                   DAQMG

The Rev C.P. Crean                        RA Ch D        Chaplain

Maj T.H. Dobell                                S Lanc R        DAQMG

Maj (now Lt-Col) G.E. Roberts      KOSB             G

Maj S.K. Stott                                    LF                   DAAG

Maj H.M. Vickerman                        RAOC            Ord

BEM

SQMS W.A. Chant                          RASC

SQMS A Freeman                           RASC

SQMS R.J. Gibbs                            RASC

SQMS K.J. Warham                        RAOC

D -50!!

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Wednesday 23^rd January

10.30 pm.

My own most precious darling,

After a lull of 3 days during which we didn’t get any mail or papers, today produced the goods and I was delighted to get your Friday letter – Yes, I received your Wednesday one on Saturday or was it Sunday.  I do so hope you don’t get the ‘flu germ and you must absolutely promise me that if you do you will get someone to come in, Lois or Dorothy, I can’t bear to think of the possibility of your being there alone if the worst occurs, so please be careful, my angel.  NO, I feel very ashamed of myself, but I’ve not sent off the green book yet, I’m still on the look-out for an envelope to put it in – anyway I will promise to get it off demain – many thanks for the job done of adding to your gratuity – leave t’other in my account, it will be right there for such purchases as you require.

I’m glad to hear that Jack’s infant will start life on the right foot with that most illustrious name – lucky little lad.

No, I don’t think there is any cause for alarm over that typically bloody stupid press demob announcement – there are odd rumours going around about retentions, but we here come under the heading ‘MS Appointments’ and as far as I know if they can find a replacement then they can’t retain one – I heard tonight that Norris, G2 Training designate, is definitely coming here which is the best news I’ve heard for a long time, he just can’t come too soon though I gather he is to go on the Air Support Course, which I was due to go on, sometime in early February.  Yesterday was busyish and in the morning I had to preside over a lengthy meeting of the 1 Corps District Hockey Committee and spent most of the afternoon writing up the minutes – I had one enormous rush in the evening – there was a big ‘exhibition’ table tennis match – Iserlohn v the local German side and just before dinner I had a frantic call from the organiser, would I play, someone had let them down at the last minute etc, etc.  I had got a game of poker fixed up, so I arranged to play my game on condition I could play my game and disappear.  I got to the YMCA at 8.30, played and beat a chap who wasn’t much good and so back to the poker school!  I held no sort of cards all the evening and had as my best hand in 2½ hours play, a lowish strait!  I lost exactly what I won the other night (15/-) so am now all square on the poker game.

Today was the G Branch officers turn to purchase ‘any two articles’ at the Welfare Shop – they have a rotten collection of stuff, a few toys, pen-knives and fountain pens (poor) – but every day they sell one quite good quality dispatch-cum-brief case, just the job for my daily visits to Town.  I set my heart on one of these and by dint of going early found myself no 1 in the queue and got it!  it cost 24/- very reasonable considering it is real leather – unfortunately there are no articles for ladies there, so the other thing I brought was a pen-knife, always useful as a present.  After dinner I went up to the barracks where we had our usual weekly t.t. match, this week against Welfare who are very weak – we beat them 9-1.  I nipped back directly afterwards and when I have finished this off to you I shall lay me down to sleep.  I have nothing laid on for tomorrow evening and plan, after my letter to you, to do a good 1½ hours study and get in an early night.  The news of my successor really is most encouraging and has put me in much higher spirits tonight.  Now, my dearest heart, on this more hopeful note I must away and to bed.  I will be right back again with you demain – no words of mine can tell you how much I am longing for March and all that it will mean to us – it  is the most wonderful thought in the world.  I love you, darling, so very terribly much – please take great care of your sweet precious self and God bless you always.

Yours with ALL my love

            for ever

                        Peter

P.S. Don’t eat too much fudge!!

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 24 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 23 Jan.

D -52

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Monday 21^st January

11 pm.

My own most precious darling,

The hour is rather late but I couldn’t let the day slip past without penning a few lines to you, there was no letter mail today – I think fog must have held the planes up as we have had no papers since Saturday – not a very good omen for tomorrow’s mail.  There was a parcel post though, and I received one of the law books from Brian very quick work – it looks too dull for words, on a subject which gives me no very great enthusiasm to think about – Real Property, but I shall have to get down to it – I didn’t have a very good night last night, whether it was the atmosphere or not I don’t know, but I turned from one side to the other on my camp bed and eventually got to sleep round about 2ish I think.

I didn’t hurry back to the office after breakfast and walked up for the exercise and after lunch walked back again via the hairdresser where I had a kapper which I’m thankful you can’t see, though I think it would be very much to Bill’s liking!  Otherwise I had a very busy day in the office, and didn’t get back to the mess ‘til nearly 7 ocl – work in our branch seems to be on the increase these days – all rather annoying as I do so want to be able to do a bit of reading other than after dinner – I could be like many others who just don’t try now that their demob is imminent, but I ain’t born that way I’m afraid.

After dinner I went to Studio One where I saw a most interesting German film – it was being shown to our censor people prior to it being put on for the civilians.  It was ‘shot’ in 1941 and though I couldn’t follow the speech, I could get the general trend of the thing of course.  The story was about as ‘mushy’ as anything I’ve seen for a long time, but the colour (it was in glorious Agfatone) was far better than Technicolor, and the scenes and music were excellent.  Story in a nutshell was budding young composer and young girl in love, goes of to study somewhere, many love scenes in ‘holidays’ then girl goes up to see him ‘at work’, he is taken by surprise and is well on the job, girl naked and marries oaf in background in early scenes, composer returns via Rome and tries to take girlfriend from husband, husband says OK but girl tres loyal and after much wavering stays, show ends with girl, now in black, meeting composer after big concert and rather tamely I thought agreeing they should see each other about once in a couple of years, both obviously still much in love – stupid I calls it!

Some of the dancing scenes took me back to New Year’s Eve, and that wonderful dance just 3 weeks ago tonight – it seems like 3 years – it made me feel very sentimental to think of and made me yearn the more for March – oh! dearest I miss you terribly much and think always only of you, the next seven weeks just can’t go by too quickly – how like life a Paul Jones is, for some, the chance to get someone different, for me always the longing and hope that it will be you that is nearest me when the music stops, and I will go to any lengths to have it always like that – God bless you, dearest, dearest heart and keep you always, and make the weeks between seem as seconds.  I can’t tell you how much I love you, but you know, it will always be like that, and I shall for ever be yours

            only yours

                        Peter

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 22 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 21 Jan.

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 20^th January

My dearest Maz

I have so much to thank you for this week that I hardly know where to begin – letters, magazines, and last, but not least, a really magnificent cake which arrived safe and sound yesterday morning, I sampled it last night and it really is a beauty, quite one of your very best – it couldn’t have come at a better time either, as I am duty officer all day today and tonight and I shall bring up an Aunt Kate portion for tea this afternoon and another piece tonight!  Your most interesting letters were dated 11^th and 13^th January many thanks – I was very interested to hear that the Bakers infant has arrived – you don’t miss a thing, and no doubt put two and two together when you saw Jack emerging from the Floral Box – you seem to have had a very tasty little meal at the flat the other evening it fair made me mouth water, nothing so homely about the food out here I’m afraid.

I hope by now the drawing and morning rooms are nearly completed – I’m afraid this cold spell will have rather upset things and no doubt the kitchen has come into its own, still, as you say, it will be grand when they are finished.  It has been an amazing week here with practically every day the same, very cold but dry and sunny – I suppose its healthy weather and all that but it does me no good at all – no snow to ski on, grounds much too hard for hockey (both the games I had fixed up during the week had to be cancelled) and practically no opportunity to get out and enjoy the sunshine.  I hope we don’t get a lot of snow for a bit and that the grounds thaw out, because there is a most attractive sounding hockey tour in Holland from Jan 30^th to Feb 4^th, playing 3 matches in Amsterdam and the Hague between those dates – the team hasn’t been selected yet but I’m hoping for the best!  The letter you forwarded on to me, which arrived today was from Douglas Goodbody, Secretary of the OU Hockey Association who was out here in the RAF, asking me to play against the School on 9^th March – Nothing further on the demob line since I last wrote and I’ve not heard any more about the chap who is likely to be coming in as my relief.  I’m now all being well at D -53 days – less than 8 weeks to go!  Apart from a table tennis match on Thursday evening and a party on Friday I’ve done absolutely nothing of interest this week, a little law study and that is all.  The match on Thursday wasn’t a very good one and we beat A branch very easily 8-2 our no 5 being the only one to lose, he lost both his games.  Earlier in the week I had a most pleasant surprise when who should walk into my office but Peter Royle, late 17^th Field Regiment!  He was in the Regiment at the beginning of the war and in another Battery until Roy Oddie was killed – Peter took over B Troop and he and I used to relieve each other at Ops so I got to know him very well.  He was wounded, still commanding B Troop, in Sicily but was in Italy when his Father died and he came back to England, dropping to Lieutenant.  He came out here last June and is now in command of a battery only about 20 miles from ISERLOHN!  I arranged for him to come over on Friday night for dinner and a super chat.  On Friday morning I got a message from John Stephens unit that he was coming up for a conference here and would I have dinner with him in the Visitors Mess where he had booked a room for the night.  To cut a long story short he joined Peter Royle and myself for dinner in the Officers’ Club and came back to C Mess where he spent the night in a room whose occupant had gone on leave that morning!  We had an excellent evening and both John and Peter were in cracking form.  John just the same as usual and when we parted after breakfast yesterday morning his last words were ‘Peter, give my love to your Mother, and to Eileen – and your Father’!  Peter, it has been nice seeing you again etc etc!’  I heard many interesting things from Peter R but didn’t get as much ‘gen’ as I should have done had we been alone – I gather there was no question of Ian giving himself a MC, he had one glorious day and should have got at least a DSO.  I hope to be going over to Peter’s Battery one evening next week.  Now, Maz dear, I must get packing up for lunch, so will say au revoir to you – only another 7½ weeks, may it go very quickly.   God bless and much love to you, again many thanks for the super cake, your letters and mags, my love to Pari and Elli.

            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 21 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope Written Jan 20^th 1946 rec Jan 23^rd 1946 (4)

D -53

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 20^th January

5.30 pm.

My own dearest heart,

The most hectic part of my last Sunday duty has now come and gone and since tea-time I’ve been able to settle down to letters to Lois, and Douglas Goodbody, the Secretary of the OU Hockey Club.  He had written asking me to play for the OUs v School on 9^th March which I told him I just couldn’t quite make!  I said I would play, if required, in 1947 with an eye to a pleasant outing with you including dinner at the University Arms on the way back.  I’ve no doubt that Brian will oblige with his car for such a worthy occasion.  There hasn’t been very much happening today – the odd phone calls but enough to prevent one from settling down to anything – since four ocl though the phone bell hasn’t gone (I’m touching wood hard!) and as I say I’ve been able to get shot of one or two items.

This morning much to my delight, there was another letter from you, the third day running, written on Wednesday for which many thanks.  In your opening remarks etc I was reminded by such phrases as ‘lack of news’ of my letter to you written on Thursday night – if yours was newsless, I might as well have sent you a couple of blank sheets of paper!  A letter from you makes so very much difference to the day.  I’m sorry to hear how cold it is with you, it is just the same here but central heating in the Mess and offices plus a lot of bods makes everywhere pretty warm, with you, alone in the flat, and coal running short, it almost makes me weep to think of it.

I don’t know how soon the telephone system BAOR to UK will be working, when it is, I shan’t waste my time, believe me.  I will try and give you some warning of when I’m likely to be getting through – I shall have thousands of things to say to you but will probably be completely tongue-tied when it comes to the point!!

8.15 pm.  What an absolute closet I was to talk about how quiet things were – a bloody great long signal came in and that was that pro tem.  I had got it sorted out by 6.45 when I had to whistle down to C Mess, wash and change, then walk to the Officers’ Club where Geoffrey Lamb was holding his farewell party – I left the club at 7.40 rushed back to the Mess, quick dinner, put me battledress blouse on and hopped into the truck I had ordered at 8.5 and so here I am, not bad going I reckon.

I had a reply to my letter to the post-war grant people this morning, sending me a couple of forms to fill in and notes on how to fill them in.  The main item is that I have to produce written evidence of discharge from the Armed Forces – I shall fill in the forms and bung them off and forward partics of discharge later when in the words of the notes my ‘application will be expedited’!  Hope so.  Anyway I will fill them in tonight and hope for the best.  I was most interested to hear the advice given to John by Gibson & Weldon’s – no office work but plenty of reading.  I think when I get home and between then and 9^th May I will have to do some reading every day except for our holiday in Scotland and at Easter – our holiday must be 100% free from worry and it must be our second honeymoon in every sense of the term.  2 hours a day before we go, two hours a day when we get back and a full day i.e. 9-12.30 – 2-4 (too long really for extensive reading) between Easter and 9^th May – though I think a lot of reading with no variety at all is a bad thing.  Working for my inter I never used to work after 10 ocl at night – by that time I found the old brain quite incapable of grasping any more, and to go on longer than that did far more harm than good.  This afternoon I wrote off a quick warning order to Mrs Wilson at the Royal, booking a room there provisionally from Wednesday 27^th March to Wednesday 10^th April – right bang in the Spring and all being well roughly a fortnight after I get home – I hope you approve and I’ve pointed out that the dates may have to be altered slightly nearer the time.  I’m getting so terribly excited about it all, darling, our real start in life together, that I can think of little else, and long for it more than I can say, if only I can always make you as happy as I want you to be then I ask for nothing more, because it is only when you are happy that I can be, when we both are then the sun shines every day.  God bless you, precious girl, and keep you.  I think of no-one but you and love you with all my heart more than I can say – only 7½ more weeks, Yours, with ALL my love, now

            and for 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 21 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 20 Jan.