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.