1916
24th January 1916. “B” Company proceeded to Shankargarh for company training. Returned 5th February, 1916.
Author Archives: The Bay Museum
Letter from Peter C. Benham to his wife.
D -50!!
Major P.C. Benham,
G Branch
HQ 1 Corps District
BAOR
Wednesday 23rd 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.
Letter to Rev Walters from Cecil Brown.
c/o Y.M.C.A. Hut
Woodcote Park
Epsom
23/1/16
My dear Mr Walters,
Again I take up my pen to write to you trusting that you will not think me at all impertinent. However, I plead the same excuse, that I consider myself in your congregation. I was, as perhaps you noticed, at home about five weeks ago, and attended morning and evening services at Whitwick. I might say that out of the whole week-end those three or four hours were the happiest I spent, and I look forward with great pleasure to the time I shall be able to come again.
I have been removed from the place at which I was when I wrote my last letter and am now at Woodcote Park Convalescent Camp, and about two miles out of the town of Epsom. The men here are made up individuals of nearly every regiment in the British Army – Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and Britishers. On the whole, they are an exceedingly nice lot of men, and they look upon our hut as a great boon. It is worked by an excellent staff of ladies, and they endeavour to provide the best of food for the convalescents, at the least possible price, as well as to make the building as comfortable and homely as is possible.
In the camp, the recreation of the men is amply provided for, and a large recreation hall has been erected, capable of holding about 1000 or 1500 men, and excellent concerts are arranged. Last week Madam Ada Crossley came down and brought her concert party and such people as Miss Carrie Tubb and Mr Ben Davies come to give their concerts, which they do absolutely free of charge, I believe.
The men maintain very good spirits, and I think this very remarkable. They have endured every hardship, been wounded – almost done to death some of them, and the majority are now far from well, but they are quite jolly, and are as ready to enjoy themselves as are the soldiers in training.
It is most interesting to hear the men relate their experiences at the different theatres of war, and in this way, one learns more in a half hour than a month of news-paper reading could teach. One incident interested me considerably. A sergeant was telling me of a night on which very severe fighting took place. He went into the trenches with his men, and one of them was, in the sergeants own words “A religious sort of chap”, who knelt down to pray when he entered the trench. As he was praying an enemy shell fell in the trench and did not explode. He explained that this was an extremely rare occurrence, and added that he should, all his life, believe that “the lad’s prayer had been answered and that God had stopped that shell from bursting”. Had the shell burst, it would have been responsible for the deaths of many men. You will form your own opinion, but personally I agree with the sergeant, and believe it is another proof of the Divine Presence with those who are fighting for us. Another thing which struck me forcibly was the fact that one never sees a crucifix shattered even in the most bullet swept districts. One particular case was related to me which will probably interest you. In a certain village there was a crucifix; on each side of it was a house and beside it a pile of stones. Violent firing took place. The houses were completely shattered and the stones scattered in every direction. The crucifix, on examination was found to be practically untouched. Bullets has passed through the wooden standard, but the figure was as it was before the first shot was fired.
I am quite well, and enjoying the work immensely. I trust you are in the best of health and that the Church is progressing as well as ever. I read with great interest the events which take place and are reported by the local papers.
I should esteem it a great favour if you would forward me a copy of the Parish Magazine and I enclose 1½ in payment for same.
Trusting I have not wearied you by the long letter.
Believe me
Sincerely and respectfully yours
Cecil Brown
(Coalville)
In YMCA envelope addressed to The Rev T.W. Walters, Whitwick, Lester.
Letter postmarked EPSOM 26 JAN 1916.9.15 AM
South African Infantry.
O 1/3
1st Infantry Brigade Headquarters,
S.A.O.E.F.
Mex Camp. ALEXANDRIA
January 23, 1916
Lieut-Colonel Purcell, D.S.O.
O/C Depot Battalion, South African Contingent,
Aldershot,
ENGLAND.
With reference to your private letter to the G.O.C., I am directed to inform you that Lt-Col. Helbert has been written to regarding your promotion to Lieut.-Colonel and he has been asked to do everything in his power to expedite gazettal. The G.O.C. suggests however, that you see B-Genl DORAN personally in this connection.
With regard to the 12 Officers which you still require Lieut.-Col. Helbert has been instructed to cable at once to South Africa to ascertain definitely how many Officers are there for this Brigade and how many can be sent immediately. On receipt of the reply he is to cable its contents here when the G.O.C. will take steps without delay to fill all existing vacancies in Commissioned ranks.
The delay which will necessarily occur owing to the necessity of sending from here to you those promoted to commissioned rank to fill existing vacancies cannot be avoided although it is much regretted by the G.O.
I enclose a roll of the Officers who were left behind under your command which shows a total of 9 Captains, 14 Lieutenants, 7 second Lieutenants, 30 Officers in all, to these have been added 6 second Lieutenants, whose promotion to that rank was recommended some time prior to the Brigade leaving Bordon. Will you kindly let me know by return of post whether these promotions have been approved of, if they have not kindly represent the matter as an urgent one to the Brigadier-General, General Staff, Aldershot, who was written to on the subject about the 26th December. The original recommendation for these promotions having been forwarded to the G.O.C., 16th Division, at the time when the Brigade formed a portion of that Division.
With regard to the appointments of Second in Command, Adjutant and Quartermaster, you should deal direct with Brigadier-General, General Staff, Aldershot, notifying me a soon as possible for the information of the G.O.C., what has been done in the matter.
J. **** Baker
Major,
Brigade Major.
NOMINAL ROLL OF OFFICERS WITH DEPOT BATTALION.
——————————————
1st SOUTH AFRICAN BRIGADE. DEPOT BATTALION.
Officer Commanding, Lt,-Col. J.F. Purcell, D.S.O.
1st REGIMENT. 2nd REGIMENT. 3rd REGIMENT.
Captains. Captains. Captains.
Woodhead, H. Symes, H.C. de Jersey, F.H.
Whiting, E. Macdougal, Ian Montgomery, H.
Tomlinson, L.W.
Lane, A.B.
Lieutenants Lieutenants. Lieutenants.
Roffe, – Lagerwall, F.A. Healy, J.W.T.
Cochran, F.E. Langdale, G.H.
2nd Lieutenants 2nd Lieutenants 2nd Lieutenants
Brown, A.H. Tatham, E.V. Phillips, E.J.
Cochrane, J.E.B.D. Ellis, P.H.
Bru-de-Wold, T.W. Crudas, N;
4th REGIMENT.
Captains. Lieutenants.
Mowat, G. Graham, R.D.
Ramsay Rae, H Bayly, Z.B.
Micklem, T.N.
Gemmell, D.
Taylor, J.S.
Davies, J.
Benny, F.E.
Norton, M.L.
Duff, C. de V.
Letter from Peter C. Benham to his wife.
D -52
Major P.C. Benham,
G Branch
HQ 1 Corps District
BAOR
Monday 21st 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.
Letter from Peter C. Benham to his mother.
Major P.C. Benham,
G Branch
HQ 1 Corps District
BAOR
Sunday 20th 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 11th and 13th 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 30th to Feb 4th, 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 9th 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 17th 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 20th 1946 rec Jan 23rd 1946 (4)
Letter from Peter C. Benham to his wife.
D -53
Major P.C. Benham,
G Branch
HQ 1 Corps District
BAOR
Sunday 20th 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 9th 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 9th 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 9th 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 27th March to Wednesday 10th 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.
Diary of 2/4th Battalion The Border Regiment
1916
20th January 1916. “A” Company proceeded to Sooradavee in order to complete field firing. Returned 24th January, 1916.
Letter to Rev Walters from J.W. Brotherhood
No 4564 Pte J.W. Brotherhood
Signalling Section
3/5 Leicesters
Bulwell
Notts
Jan 20th 016
Dear Rev Walters,
I have just been wondering what the future holds in store for us as a nation & also individually, because I think it is possible for one to form a just conclusion. There are days ahead of us, but what kind of days will they be? Days of Peace & Happiness, or days of darkness & despair?
It seems to me to be fare presumption to suppose that victory will eradicate all evils, or even bring a new-soul to England.
What I think is this: the soul of England will be richer clothed, it may be in garments of blood but also in garments of an imperishable nature. She will be clothed with honour, & shielded by Freedom.
Nations rarely seek honour to the sacrifice of wealth, or sacrifice blood to bring freedom to others. The sacrifice of life & blood is far richer than the sacrifice of wealth. Wealth perishes. Honour ever lives, it knows no death.
But what England has done is a true test of what she is able to do; & what England is able to do will reveal the elements of what Her “Soul” consists of.
The “Old Book” has a double application when it says ‘No man liveth unto himself”. There is always a 2nd considerate & sympathy.
I think life is hard & cruel where there is no victory to cheer, or defeat to rally us.
The standard of one’s life should never be judged by the peace one enjoys, but rather by the foes conquered, & the victories won.
And that is how England will be judged in future days, the England of tomorrow will not be the England of today; every victory makes her stronger; every sacrifice stimulates Her to greater endeavours. We do not shed blood for nought! We harbour not the lust of greed, but the love of righteousness; & by Her sacrifice England has an Heritage in every land. Therefore England‘s soul grows stronger; richer in power; & more resolute.
England has not a new soul, but greater ideals; the old soul has had a revelation, & revelation brings experience, & experience, generally speaking brings power.
Therefore will the days that are to come bear comparison with the days that are past? Will they bring a new & greater dread, or will a new world burst before our eyes, & world of beauty & grandeur?
I think the spirit that is now developing will bring a limitless power & freedom to the sons who have fought & worked, & to the daughters who have loved & wept. No true son of England is afraid of the future days. We wait for it as we wait for the Morning Sun to rise & drive away darkness.
To the future we say “All Hail” We welcome thee as the new-born day; to the past we say “Farewell”.
There are scenes in these days that make us shudder; but the future shall give light to our eyes, & joy to our souls, & there shall be sung songs of exaltation such as the world has never known or heard before.
Sir, the day is breaking. And we would re-echo “Break Divine Light.”
What a light it will be. Soul-filling enraptorum. Europe’s “Sentinel” re-echoes the question of the ages – “Watchman, what of the night? Behold the morning cometh.” There is a rift in the Lute. There is breaking on our ears the music of a distant song. Not a song to quicken the steps of the defeated, but a song of Victory & of Hope, a song that shall give step to the mareking hosts, who, having delivered freedom from bondage, now return home to peace & happiness. The future days, in my opinion, will bring to us a greater spiritual experience.
There are men in the trenches, who have witnessed scenes of horror. They have watched, nay, taken part in the struggle between life & death, Hell & Heaven. What will their experience be?
Methinks that the soul-struggle is terribly great when one fights for humanity.
Life to such men will have a deeper meaning. A new seriousness, will enter in into them, & they will regard life as a sacred possession & home as if it were heaven. The cry is going forth today – what will the churches do with the returning millions as they gather home from the Battlefield? But a greater question to my mind is – what will returning soldiers do with the church?
To the church that accepts the new experience of her followers there will come a blessed ministry, not from the pulpit alone, but from the Pen. The whole church will be inspired & invigorated. But what of the church that ignores the cry of her followers, & who refuse to accept those visions which have been given? What of such a church? She will be shunned. Hated. Despised.
The church that accepts the new-found Doctrine of Humanity is the church of the future, not that the “Old Doctrine will be despised, nay, they will be loved more & more, but we shall read the Human in the Divine, & realise that every man is worth saving.
Our heroes will not shun the ministry of church, but will rather seek to enrich it. Visions always enrich, and life without vision is like Heaven without God.
The church will embrace her returning sons, & Her returning sons will offer of their best to the “Great Cause” that has tended & cared for them, & offered such a welcome within Her borders. The church will adapt herself to the new conditions as She hears of the new experiences of Her followers, & after having heard such experiences She will break away from Her former self & embrace a Freedom Divine. The Old trammels of Bigotry will be cast off, & an evangelation of the masses will be the result. Just one other thought. The future days will reveal a united humanity. What I mean is – A man will value a man.
Robert Burns has well said – “A man’s a man for a that”. No matter how men may differ, the soul is ever the same. The one interest of men will be, how they can best serve God, King & Country, & especially each other.
A man will value his neighbour, not merely as a neighbour, but as a valuable unit of his country, & of the District in which he lives. A deeper unity will enthral the human race. Not a unity that will bind, but a unity that will give liberty to thought & freedom to speech; yea, the poor shall meet with the rich, & the rich with the poor, & each class will recognise that neither are dispensable, but that both are valuable units in the life of the nation, & that both are needed to carry on our National Programme. United we stand. Divided we fall. And should we fall, our loss would be greater than our gains, & we should be plunged into the very jaws of Death.
But Sir, We have sought & found liberty. Our men have bled & died for freedom. The Empire has given of its best, & we through that sacrifice have gained liberty.
Shall we lose what we have gained? Or shall we cement those bonds which so closely bind us together?
Thank God for the vision of a brighter future. There are wonders untold is store for us, & the one just conclusion we arrive at is – that a new England is rising up, & a generation of patriots is taking the place of pessimists.
Edge of page torn off. ***** ***** con***. We **** to live. And who but those that come after us will better appreciate the sacrifice that has been made?
There is a great deal more I should like to have written, but what I have written is what I believe. Sir you may differ from me in many things I have said, & if that be so I should like to hear what your views are, as they would help me very much.
But upon one thing we are agreed. We win.
Please accept my best wishes, & I do pray that your ministry will be very effectual.
I remain
Your very sincerely
PTE J.W. Brotherhood.
In envelope addressed to Rev T.W. Walters, Vicar of Whitwick, Whitwick, Leicestershire.
Letter postmarked Bulwell Nottingham 21 JA 16.
Letter from Peter C. Benham to his wife.
D -54
Major P.C. Benham,
G Branch
HQ 1 Corps District
BAOR
Saturday 19th January
8 pm.
My own most precious darling,
I had meant to write to you last night but the unexpected, in the form of John Stephens turned up so I had well and truly had it. I had to be out most of yesterday morning and the whole time I kept saying to myself ‘there just must be a letter from Eileen today’ and my eye went straight to my desk when I got back, to alight on a fat and exciting looking letter from you – it was your letter written on Monday, many thanks for it, a letter written but once, read through many times. Yes I should think your efforts after oxtail, beans and sprouts must have been worthy of your best – I’m very glad I wasn’t in the immediate vicinity – grey pinstripes may shortly become a ‘uniform’ but I’d rather that than an office boy’s royal blue affair.
It was odd that once again our letters crossed, this time on the subject of Mary Baker’s efforts – I usually have a squint in the Telegraph for anything interesting in that line but missed the bus completely on that occasion.
I also found a note on my table when I got back yesterday morning to the effect that a Lt Col Stephens was arriving for a conference at 5.30 and would I have dinner with him in the Visitor’s Mess where he was staying the night – it couldn’t really have been a worse evening as I had a dinner ‘date’ already with Peter Royle, but I changed my table booking at the officers’ club from 2 to 3. Peter duly arrived just after 6 and we went down to the mess where I changed and we had a wash following by the odd drink or two here. I phoned the Visitors Mess but there was no sign of John so I told them to tell him (a) to meet me at the Club as soon as he arrived and (b) to bring his kit with him as he would be spending the night in C Mess! No sign of him by 7.45 at the Club, so Peter and I got cracking into the hors d’oeuvres – we had only been eating for a couple of minutes when John arrived, very hot and bothered ‘oh I say Peter I really am most terribly sorry, now do carry on, but really I am sorry etc! He and Peter were both in terrific form and we sat in the Club, smoking, nattering and drinking ‘til nearly 11 when we came back to the Mess for a nightcap, after which Peter had to be on his way back to Dortmund. As Dick Jesson went off on leave yesterday, John had his room – ‘oh I say Peter this really is most kind of you how is Eileen etc’. He came into my room and we talked hard till well past midnight, yours and Jean’s ears must have been burnt to cinders! And so to bed. We had breakfast together this morning and parted – John to Hamburg for the weekend and myself to that delightful place, my office. Our hockey this afternoon was yet another game with the word cancelled written across it, on account as before of the frozen ground. Yesterday and today can only be described as lovely, bitterly cold and clear blue sky, but not of much value to the likes of me, too cold and frozen for any outdoor sport, no snow for skiing and no opportunity to get out in the fresh air. I have been kept very busy today and have to spend all tomorrow and tomorrow night in the office for what will be my last Sunday duty officer in the Army – I hope.
This morning I was once more filled with fresh heart by your Tuesday letter – You were very wise not to go nap on the desk, it didn’t sound at all suitable from your description of it, it will be interesting to see how much it fetched. You certainly had a rum evening going through your old diaries, but, my angel, I’m afraid I’m not very well up in these matters and can’t quite see what it all proves or disproves, when I get home you must give me a discourse on the subject. You say you feel ‘hopelessly unsettled’, I feel exactly the same and just can’t get down to a thing, try as I do. This evening I got back to the Mess just after 6 ocl, picked up my Law book, couldn’t concentrate, tried to start a letter to you but again couldn’t concentrate, and finally had a bath, a very early dinner by myself, and afterwards a drink with Ted who I found in the bar feeling just as bloody as I did! I had got this far when my room was completely invaded and I was inveigled into a short sharp game of 21 – we were all drinking orange squash and played for 10 beans for 6d – but despite the small stakes I won 7/-! Just couldn’t do a thing wrong. Now it is getting on for 11 ocl (no, I am not going to read any law tonight!) and as there will be no lie-in for me tomorrow morning my thoughts turn inevitably towards bed, gloomy, cold and lonely without you – though it isn’t for much longer now – so my dearest, most wonderful wife, I will bid you goodnight and au revoir until tomorrow – God bless you, sweetest heart, and keep you. 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 21 JA 46. Signed P.C. Benham.
On front of envelope 19 Jan.
The Bay Museum & Research Facility 