D -31

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Monday 11^th February

9.00 pm.

My own most precious darling,

I was delighted this morning to get your long and most interesting Wednesday letter – I’m so pleased to hear that my letters from The Hague have arrived – they were just handed in at ‘the desk’ so they didn’t take long.  I do hope you are feeling better and that your various ailments have cleared up, we would have been a healthy pair if we had been together on Wednesday, the day I was feeling at my worst!  I hope you made the trip up to London today and that you did some successful shopping etc.  I shall be most interested to hear how you got on.

I hadn’t really given the question of whether or not to drop the ‘Major’ very much thought, but the chances are at least 100-1 that I shall, as you say if everyone kept his/her Army etc rank a hell of a lot of people would be saddled with queer ranks.  It I was going to be a PT instructor or Golf Club secretary then I probably would but I don’t reckon the Army and Law mix!

I’ve had a very busy day, right up to 6.30 and just haven’t had a dull moment, but when, in the fullness of time, I set down my pen this evening Mr. Wiltshire will come once more into his own and will no doubt lull me to sleep.  There is absolutely no news of any interest today – the usual heavy rain started at about 2 ocl and has been quite relentless ever since – I can’t ever remember so much rain for so many days running – once again we have hockey matches arranged for Saturday and Sunday next but it remains to be seen whether or not we shall play them.

I would simply love to have been a fly on the wall at your Friday tea party and it is just as well I wasn’t there I think, do we should both have been reduced to hysterics – Grannie Ethel would have been bad enough, but unless Jane has changed, I should never have stood the look of a little female Hervey!  Angel I must get down to me ‘studies’ so will say goodnight to you – would that I could rub my toes against your warm legs tonight – sorry!

God bless you, dearest, dearest Eileen, and keep you.  I long to be back again with you and never cease from thinking about you, ALL my love to you, and only to you, 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 12FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.    

On front of envelope 11 Feb.