D -59

Chad picture with Wot!  In the fifties?

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Monday 14^th January

7.15 pm.

My own most precious darling,

Just a quick 15 minutes before I must go down to dinner with 4 others who – with yours truly will be sitting down afterwards to a short (I hope) poker session.  My first game for simply ages.  I was absolutely thrilled this morning when two wizard letters arrived from you – written on Wednesday and Thursday – poor old darling, I can well imagine your general can’t-settle-down-to-anything mood – to have to live alone in the flat after that fortnight of heaven, must be perfectly bloody – but it isn’t for long now and you will, I hope, never again have to be there all by yourself.  Many thanks for sending Kens letter on – as a Lt Col I can quite imagine his getting that fantastic sum a month – he gets staff pay, tropical allowance, field allowance, wife and two children, so I’m not altogether surprised, it soon mounts up, as the actress said to the Bishop.  I have duly noted the payment of £29/10/- for chest-of-drawers and your green ‘un will be with you any time now.  Now, my darling, with the humblest possible apologies I must break away, but I’ll be right back with you ere long.  Au revoir, angel.

11.15 pm       I announced my intention before we started of stopping at 11 ocl (they still had 5) and at 11 ocl exactly I stopped – the first hour saw me getting no good cards at all, but for the last hour I could hardly put a foot wrong, only on very average hands, and I eventually won 15/6^d – not too bad.  I felt a slight closet stopping when I was up but I had announced my intention of packing in, win or lose, at a certain time, and having done that it is no good either way to go on beyond the limit.

Darling I was sorry though not surprised to hear that it had appeared again – if it hadn’t it couldn’t really have come at a worse time, so in many ways it is a good thing, but what you will not realise is that there is nothing wrong in that respect with either you or I – if April 1^st 44 had never happened I might conceivably have been tempted to lose faith, I very much doubt it though, but after that it is absolutely 100% sure proof that what has happened can happen, and will happen again, there are so very many factors involved, and if all the circumstances are right then the answer will be what happened then, and you will not get those factors automatically on leaves etc.  you see, your argument breaks down at once when you say that nothing happened for two years when it might have done, but when did you have that operation in Edinburgh?  Not until just before I went to Africa, and it’s efficacy was well proved by later events, showing quite clearly that it did the trick – no, darling, I can’t agree with you on that score, and I would only ask you to search your heart and ask yourself whether the words you used that ‘children aren’t worth the trouble etc’ didn’t come from your head and not from your heart.  I know you well enough, darling, to know that they weren’t true and never will be.  Now, my most dearly beloved girl, with the thought of you and that historic telephone call in only 50 odd days time, uppermost in my thoughts, with your happiness come what may, my only concern, I must away to bed.  God bless you, my sweetheart, and keep you, just as you are, always – I love you so terribly terribly much, and will

            for always 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 115 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham. 

On front of envelope 14 Jan.

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 13^th January

My dearest Maz

I have two most welcome letters to thank you for this week and also Picture Post and Illustrated.  Many thanks.   I should love to have seen John Stevens as the Fairy God Father at the party and can just imagine his look of slight bewilderment.  The items listed by John Van Dyke are short throughout the world and if anyone could produce a couple of hundred cycle tyres in Holland now, he would make a fortune!  Our tour in Holland is scheduled for 31 Jan to 4 Feb but whether (a) it will come off or (b) I am asked to play, remains to be seen – If I do go on it there may well be an opportunity of visiting Apeldoorn.  It has been very mild here most of the week but there have been some terrific gales.  The week seems to have gone by fairly quickly and the main reason has been that I’ve had plenty to do to keep me busy in the office and have had some function or other most evenings during the week, including two most successful Table Tennis matches.  Tuesday was really the big night, when the undefeated Corps HQ team met the other team undefeated in the League, 1 Corps Signals.  The first match had ended in a draw 3-3 some 3 weeks ago, so it wasn’t surprising that about 100 spectators rolled up to the YMCA to watch the fun – I played no 5 and we played in the order 1, 3, 5, 2, 4 and 6.  When my turn came to play the score was 1-1 and the excitement was running high!  I lost the first game but won the next three fairly easily to put our side in the lead 2-1.  There was terrific handshaking etc after each game – true table tennis style!!  With the last game to play we led 3-2 and our no 6 gave us a win, result 4-2 in our favour.  The other match was on Friday night when G Branch played and beat 8-2 the Pay boys who hadn’t been beaten – for an inter branch game it was very good value and I think, despite two lost matches over Christmas, we can win that league as well.  Monday evening saw yours truly as duty officer and on Wednesday I had Freddy Self over to dinner with the primary object of discussing the hockey meeting at BAOR HQ which he attended for me.  We had a very cheery evening.  Yesterday I went to see the first film since my return, National Velvet, not a very good story but good colour and good acting.  I have nothing at all fixed for today – I had breakfast in bed at 9.30, up at 10 and it’s now nearly 11.30 and I must nip up to the office to see if there is any mail and generally what’s happening.  For the rest of the day my programme is letter writing and reading of me law book, then very early to bed.  I will continue after lunch.

Later.  Have just had tea and didn’t do all the things I had planned for this afternoon by a long chalk.  I did 40 minutes reading on my bed and must have fallen into a very sound sleep as the next thing I knew was Dick Jesson coming in to announce the time as 4.30 and time for tea.  After lunch there was a most extraordinary blizzard – it only lasted about 20 minutes, long enough for it to settle though and everywhere is white now.  You really are a brick to look after Eileen so well, she loves coming round and it makes just all the difference for her.  I am counting the days before my return for good in March, working on March 14^th as the magic date and it is only 60 days off now, just over 8 weeks – it seems hardly possible after so long in the Army and it will all seem very strange at first.  All being well John will be a civilian again by now and I shall be very interested to hear the latest form on demob suitings etc and how he takes to ‘learning’ and his Gibson’s course.  I have a nasty feeling that by the time I pass through the demob ‘sausage’ machine they will have run out of suits etc, but I may be wrong!  Now, Maz dear, I must try and make up a little of the time I lost by sleeping this afternoon.  Here’s hoping that the next 8 weeks just flash past – much love to you and to Pari and Elli.

            Yours as ever

very affectionately

                        Peter

P.S.  Sorry to see that the Us got beaten yesterday – I’m sure they didn’t lack Pari’s support.

In envelope headed ‘O A S’ addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 14 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope Written Jan 13^th 1946 rec Jan 17^th 1946 (3)

D -60

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 13^th January

6.10 pm.

My own most precious darling,

I seem to have wasted an awful lot of time today, but being a Sunday I’ve enjoyed it!  I didn’t get up until 10 ocl having had me breakfast brought up to me at 9.30, and after writing my Sunday usual to Lois I walked briskly up to the office just to see if any post had arrived – it had, but nowt for me – I pottered about up there until 12.30 doing a few useful odd jobs and so back to the mess for lunch.  I had worked out a very slick programme between 2.30 and 6.30 – 40 minutes reading me law book, 40 minutes on a novel, 40 winks, tea and 5 – 6.30 writing letters – but did I stick to it?  No maam – I did the 40 minutes law book reading – then after 5 minutes on the novel fell fast asleep and didn’t know anything ‘til Dick put his head round the door and announced that it was 4.30 and high time I was up and having a cupper.  I found that the Sunday papers had arrived and got so engrossed with a few fruity stories in the News of the World that I didn’t realise how the time was slipping by – anyway I dragged myself away from the story of the Naval Officer and the Usherette at 5.30 and so up to my room – as the lighting in hear is none too good I have been searching for a couple of bulbs to put in the chandelier – my dear, it’s an enormous one!  When they were in position I decided to bring the writing table from my anti room in here also an arm chair, and now I’m well and truly installed in my bed-sitting-room!  I had to cancel our hockey yesterday on account of the weather, it just poured with rain all day – Having put off a pleasant supper at the Officers’ Club on account of my ‘date’ with Ted at the films.  I was extremely narked when he phoned me up at 6.45 to say he couldn’t get away from the office etc etc – The last thing I wanted to do was to sit about in the Mess, so I had an early dinner as planned and went to see National Velvet by myself.  It wasn’t a bad film I thought, a very poor story, but quite well acted and the colour was good.  I met another chap from the Mess there and after the show we went to the Bowler Hat Club for a quick glass of beer.  It was the first time I had been there and I was agreeably surprised – very quiet and only about a dozen or so officers there – I’ve asked for a bath at 6.30 and it’s just about that now so I must leave you pro tem, I must give my hair a good washing too, it’s absolutely foul, and hasn’t been washed for ages!

8.30 pm.

I had an excellent bath but oh! what wouldn’t I have given to have been taking it in the green-semi-sunken one with that wonderful girl leaning over the side rinsing my hair with the sprinkler – instead of that I had it in an old tin affair, poor light and no lovely back washer.  Just as soon as anything definite comes through about my date of release we must go right ahead and plan that holiday of ours – nothing in this world will stop us from going up to Scotland – but I think it will have to be at least a fortnight after I get home on account of suits etc – which would mean, planning on D day being the 20^th March going up there on about Wed 3^rd April and getting back on 17^th April – Easter together and then down to work on 23^rd April which would give me a solid fortnight in the office before my Gibson & Weldon course starts – I could also do an hour or twos reading just to break myself in in easy stages between D day and April 3^rd – I’m afraid my London visits will rather preclude a holiday during the summer but the 5 week break before I start in earnest will be a wonderful substitute – let me know what you think of the idea.  It will really be our second honeymoon, our trip to Scotland – in many ways it will be our first – before all the sorrows and anguish of parting, destinations and future unknown were ahead of us and though we never talked about it, the shadows were for ever there – it was very mush ‘eat drink and be merry etc’ wasn’t it?  we must never cease to be grateful for the very great blessings we have been given, that we have both emerged from 6 years of war, unscathed physically and mentally, and our philosophy throughout the years ahead, come what may, must be remembrance of how lucky we’ve been – we will have the most wonderful time ever in Scotland.  Colchester, all our ties and obligations, housework, law work, all work can go by the board for what will be our first carefree holiday together.  There would be no joy of anticipation, no thrill at all were it not that it is with you that I shall be going – it is only because of that that my heart beats faster at the very thought of it.  I wouldn’t be normal if I said that I looked forward to the sweat and grind of the 6 months work for my final – I can truthfully say that I dread and hate the very thought of it, shut away, learning, for hours from the girl I want always to be with, but no-one could have a better incentive to work than I, and how 100% mitigated is my 6months hard labour by the thought that I shall be at our home and that you will be with me, that I shan’t be at it all the time, and, above all else, that there will be no more goodbyes ever.  How drab and colourless and grey life would be were not you with me always – and by you it means not just a wife, but the girl who hasn’t been out of my mind for 6 long years, the most perfect girl in the world – dearest dearest heart I must away now.  I love you, darling, the same as I’ve always loved you, with my whole heart, and I will for always – God bless you, sweetest one, for ever and keep you, yours, more lovingly than I can ever say, for ever and always

                        Peter

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

On front of envelope 13 Jan.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 14 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

D -62

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Friday 11^th January

6.20 pm.

My own most precious darling,

This will once again have to be a two chaptered letter as I’m due to play in an Inter Branch Ping Pong match tonight from 8 -10, so will have to write Chapter 2 when I get back, which I hope will be just after 10.  It should be a good game, when I was away, but NOT on account of that, G branch lost 2 matches which ought to have been won very easily, and tonight we play ‘Pay’ who are unbeaten and whose no 1 is a Welch Champ – I haven’t the remotest chance against him but we should win the match I think.  Another wonderful letter from you today, hearing from you so regularly just makes all the difference in the world.  Everything you do in the flat, every action, means so very much more to me now and I can picture it all as if I was there.  I’m sorry you had an unsuccessful bureau hunt, but there is still time and it will give you something to occupy the old time – Many thanks for carrying out those two jobs, if you could tell Eric that I would like the two books sent out here as soon as possible I will be most grateful.

I’ve done very little today and one or two of my bigger jobs on hand have come to an end – anyway pro tem, but I wrote a long letter ref that post-war training grant and look forward to a reply from them.

I quite agree that it is a very poor effort on the part of Kate and Ken Davies not to have acknowledged our very generous Christmas presents – no excuse at all – it makes one feel inclined to reduce it to 5/- next time!

As you say there is still time for the doings to appear but darling, please don’t be ‘fed up’ about it if it doesn’t.  The time would be far from ideal I quite agree, and the ideal time pour commencement would be about June or July, but, my angel, working on that well known principle that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, personally I would have no regrets.  Now, dearest heart, I must take myself off to dinner and will be back again just as soon as I can.  TTFNYBG.

10.25 pm.

A most resounding victory for good old G Branch to the tune of 8-2.  As expected I lost to their star performer but beat their no 2 21-5 21-9.  It was great fun – Their is a simply colossal wind blowing at the moment, the sort of wind which would bring hope to me heart were I at home, though those days, thank God, are things of the past.

This week seems to have gone by fairly quickly and I hope you can say the same – if the next 8 weeks go past at the same speed I’ll no be complainin’.  I am keeping Sunday completely free, as I want to have a really restful day, write you a real proper letter and get down to Mr. Kenney’s Criminal Law.  I find it terribly difficult to do after a days work in the office and after writing the odd letter after dinner, but I try hard to keep plugging away at it, and as the days pass by, so shall I get more opportunity to do it.

Now, my dearest heart, the desire for bed is too great for me to overcome, so I’ll be saying goodnight to you and wishing like hell that I could be saying it to you personally.

You’ve no idea how terribly much I’m missing you or how very very much I love you, dearest girl.  God bless you and may my dreams centre around the most wonderful girl in the world, to whom for ever and always I shall 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 12 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 11 Jan.

In pencil Wilson’s Common Law

Rivington’s Law of Property

D -63

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Thursday 10^th January

9.30 pm.

My own most precious darling,

Being my only ‘free’ evening this week I was very loath to accept a dinner invitation this evening, but I accepted unconditionally, and stipulated that my time for leaving the mess was 9 ocl – I did!  So here I am with the rest of the evening all yours.  This morning another letter arrived from the dearest girl in the world written on Sunday night and with the big news on the back of the arrival of two of my letters on Monday morning – good show.  Brian certainly did forget himself and I’m not surprised that Mayor was somewhat shaken – all very awkward!  You seem to have had a good weekend under the circs and I hope you enjoyed ‘The Valley of Decision’.  I have arranged to see ‘National Velvet’ on Saturday night with Ted – opinions on it are very varied here and I shall be interested to see it – a lot depends on ones mood when seeing these things I think.  I’ve had a very busy day and haven’t stopped at all.  At 1.30 we had a mess meeting at which, in view of the time we’ve all spent on the Mess Committee, we resigned en bloc and I’m now absolved from all responsibility of the mess accounts.  Then at 2.15 I had to dash back to the Barracks to attend a committee meeting of the Tattoo Committee (a big tattoo is being held in our area on about August 7^th!!).

Two slightly brighter snippets of news are that, I think, someone from one of the Brigades has been earmarked as my successor, and I’m just waiting now with baited breath to hear that he has been selected, if this is so I just couldn’t be better as it would remove any slight possibility of my being retained DOV (deferred operationally vital).  The second item I picked up last night when I took Freddie Self down to the Club for a noggin – we were just sipping our liquor when I heard a chap at the bar talking to someone at the bar about the Law Society.  I pricked the old ears up a bit and eventually found out that he was almost in the exact position vis a vis the law as I am – TA and due to take his Final in Nov 39.  To cut a long story he wrote to the Law Society a week or so back and told them in no uncertain terms to pull the old digits out so far as Articled Clerks were concerned and asked them how the hell he was expected to live while taking his final course etc.  much to his surprise he got a letter back saying that he could claim a Government Post-War Aid Grant to see him through his studies and until he passed his Final.  I have got hold of the bumph today and as far as I can make out I should get a grant of about £6 per week until my final is over.  I need hardly add that a letter to the right authorities in my next no 1 priority.  I will keep you well informed as to the results – so things look fairly bright and it is now only 9 weeks to go before, all being well the most historic phone call ever is put through to 2019.  Darling, I can think of nothing but that day and it is getting excitingly close now – now my darling I must get right down, to drafting a suitable letter about this grant business – only, though, after telling you that to me you are the most wonderful girl in the world and that I love you desperately much and long only for March and with it our D day and the dawn of all we’ve longed for and dreamed about.  God bless you, my own terribly dearly beloved, now and always.  Yours for ever and always with ALL my love,

                        Peter

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 11 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 10 Jan.

D -64

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Wednesday 9^th January

10.30 pm.

My own most precious darling,

I’m writing this, surrounded by pots and pans and a frightful stink, in the kitchen, as the only warm place in the Mess!  Believe it or not the boilers have gone again but DV should be on heat again tomorrow.

I have been out most of today but on my return I was thrilled to find your Friday letter on my table containing, inter alia, the account of the children’s party, all rather exhausting I should imagine but it seems to have gone off well.  I shall be giving John a ring when he gets back and hope he will be able to combine business with pleasure the next time he comes over for a conference.  I hope the toe is better and above all that my letters are reaching you now.  No one knows better than I do what a difference that daily letter makes to life, it is a wonderful physical bridge of the gulf, isn’t it? but I’m very much afraid that the letter I posted first thing on Friday won’t reach you until Monday at the earliest, I’m longing to hear that it has put in an appearance.  After a pretty full day’s work yesterday I duly presented myself at the YMCA at 7.45 for the ‘needle’ ping pong match and much to my astonishment found about a 100 spectators there in the very large hall, tiered seats etc.  I was playing number 5 (there were 6 in the team) and they played in the order 1, 3, 5, 2, 4 and 6.  Amidst considerable enthusiasm I went on to play with the score 1-1, and with more enthusiasm and handshaking all round beat my chap by 3 games to 1 (much to everyone’s surprise, including myself) to put HQ 1 Corps in the lead 2-1 at the interval.  The last match started with the score 3-2 to us and our no 6 (I was thankful it wasn’t me!).  after a thrilling game, beat his opponent, so we won 4-2 – after more handshaking etc I got back to the mess at 10.30 absolutely nervously exhausted and went straight to bed and to sleep.  Today I had to do a job of work at Paderborn (about 2 hours from here) and didn’t get back to the office until just after tea.  Freddie Self arrived at 7 ocl and since dinner we have been drinking fairly steadily and discussing plans for fairly high level hockey between now and the summer.  I think in view of my demob in early March, I shall hand over the hockey to him as he will be in the Corps until May – how marvellous it will be when everything is handed over!  Ted, who was also writing letters down here, has just packed up and departed and I’m afraid I must shortly follow suit as I mustn’t miss my nightly law book reading.  It’s an awful sweat, but will pay a dividend in the long run – so, my angel, very reluctantly, I will leave you until tomorrow night, though between now and them you will be, as you always are, so very much in my thoughts.  I love you, dearest heart, so terribly terribly much, and am only existing now for the day, which is drawing so close, when we shall have each other for always.  God bless and keep you, wonderful wiz, now and always – ALL my love is yours and 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 11 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 9 Jan.

D -66

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Monday 7^th January

8.45 pm.

My own most precious darling,

Back again on night duty, which has only one thing to commend it, that I can get down to a spot of letter writing in earnest.  I reckon DV that I have only 1 more Sunday duty to do and 5 more night duties, possibly only 4!  I was thrilled this morning when your Thursday letter was put on my table – I, too, have suffered the worst-ever bouts of 9 Vint Crescent sickness since Monday night, fortified though by the great thought that were I not being demobbed in March we could say ‘half way to our next leave’ – that is a most comforting thought, but it was your sweetness when I was back and the 1001 joys of living with you in the flat that have produced my present feeling of acute desire to be with you.  I just can’t start to tell you how desperately much I miss you and all the little things we do together and enjoy together which go to making up our ‘modus vivandi’.

I’m sorry the Wicked Lady was disappointing – we did well to see the Seventh Veil and I honestly think it was one of the best films I’ve seen.  Many thanks for paying the electric light bill and t’other items have been noted in my new red book – your green ‘un will be ‘on its way’ shortly.  Whilst on the sordid subject of money could you complete the following transactions (noted only in pencil in the aforesaid red book!)

(a) take £25 out of my Barclay’s a/c and pay same you’re your own ‘gratuity’ PO a/c

(b) take £25 out of my Barclay’s a/c and pay same into your own Barclay’s a/c

The proceeds of the sale of the piano will then be properly regularised.

Not having taken any very violent exercise for some 3 weeks I’ve been feeling a bit stiff today after yesterday’s exertions and have now got my snout well and truly back to the grindstone again – today has been a non-stop one and I can’t honestly see it abating much until my successor puts in an appearance – that won’t be for some time though I’m afraid.

I’ve got a very busy week ahead of me and most of my evenings are taken up with one thing or another – tomorrow night sees me playing my first table tennis match for the Corps HQ team – it is a very ‘needle’ game v 1 Corps Sigs as both teams are undefeated in the League and the last encounter ended in a draw 3-3.  Each player plays one best-of-5 games match and I sincerely hope I play no 6 in our team!  On Wednesday night Freddie Self is coming in to have dinner with me – the purpose being to discuss the meeting at BAOR HQ which he attended in my absence.  Thursday is a free evening and on Friday there is another Table Tennis match in the inter branch League.  Still the busier one can be, the quicker the time goes and that is all that matters between now and March.  It is now 9.15 and a week ago today we were just arriving at the Club and one of the best-ever dances was about to begin.  You will have to give me some lessons when I get back, I should like at least to be able to dance passably well.  Dearest heart, though I could go on writing to you until ‘les vaches marchant chez elles’ there is little of interest left to write about – Don’t be surprised if a Colonel Bright-Holmes rings up to find out Jean Stevens phone number – I gave him Jean’s message, he is Peter’s God Father, and he returned today to take up a job as a Brigadier in Eastern Command and is very anxious to see Jean and John, not knowing their number or address I said that if you were asked you would give him the necessary information – the number is in the front of the local phone directory.  He is an extremely charming man – At 10 ocl Ted Worsdell is coming in for a cupper and a chat, since he came back with me from leave he has had to work ‘til all hours of the night and is even more browned off than I am, if that’s possible!  What about your week-end in Town with Joan or a visit by her to the flat, it would do you a power of good to get away for a few days or to have her down?  Well, darling, I must say goodnight to you – it won’t be long now, wonderful girl, before you ever will have to occupy our home alone again.  God bless you, and keep you always – my love, every little bit of it, is yours and only yours, and it will be

            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 8 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.     

On front of envelope 7 Jan.

Major P.C. Benham

G Branch

HQ I Corps District

B.A.O.R.

Sunday 6 Jan 46

My dearest Maz,

Back to the ‘daily round and common task’ once again and I’m finding it extremely difficult to raise any enthusiasm for work – I only hope the next two months go by reasonably quickly – I see in the papers yesterday that officers in Age Group 25 are due to start being demobilised on March 14^th – so, working on that basis it gives me only 67 more days out here then HOME!!

This time last week to the minute we were waiting for you and Pari to pick us up at the flat prior to the King’s party – it honestly might have been yesterday in some ways.  I haven’t done much in the work line since I’ve been back but have had to attend 2 special ‘parties’ – one on Friday for Jack Bechanell, one of our mess chaps, and one of our leave trio who got back to fine himself posted to another unit prior to his being demobbed in a fortnight’s time.  None of our chaps appear in the New Year’s Honours List and I’m told there is to be a special list shortly for services in NW Europe, but whether or not I shall touch gold remains to be seen and I’m certainly not banking on it.

The other party I had to go to was one run by the Defence Company last night but I didn’t stay very late and then slept in until 9.15 this a.m.  I spent quite a bit of this morning up at the office and this afternoon I played in a friendly hockey match v the local hospital who beat us 2-1, the ground was very bad and the frost which we’ve had here since I got back thawed out and it was like playing on a ground covered in glue, still it was excellent exercise and great fun – we are beginning to feel the effect of demob etc and we didn’t have a strong side out.  This morning I had my first letter from Eileen who seemed very lonely though your kindness in asking her in after I had gone and again for tea and supper on Wednesday had cheered her up no end – she really has done a good job of work at the flat hasn’t she?  I had never expected anything nearly so nice or so cosy – quite ideal.  An awful thought struck me the other day – I have never written to Aunt Beth – it is very high on my list of priorities but not knowing her address I am writing to her at Oxford Road and will be very grateful if you will forward it on to her.  There really is very little news from this end and the demob complex is at its height with most people going about saying ‘only 8 more weeks etc’ a society which I’ve now joined!  Oh! it really was grand to have seen you again on my leave, would that we could have had longer together though we made the most of everything, didn’t we?  Now it is only 2 months before I shall be home for good and all and though my first 6 or 7 months at home won’t be easy ‘this time next year’ exams will be a thing of the past and life will once more be normal.  I’m so looking forward to hearing from you, you are a wonderful correspondent, please continue writing twice a week, your letters are always filled with interesting items.  Much love to you, Maz dear and God bless you.  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 7 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.

On back Major P.C. Benham, G Branch, HQ 1 Corps District, B.A.O.R.      

On front of envelope Written Jan 6^th 1945 [46] rec Jan 9^th 1945 [46].            (2)

D -67

Chad image plus Wot! only

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

6.15 pm.  Sunday 6^th January 46

My own most dearly beloved,

I got a colossal thrill this morning when I went up to the office and found 2 letters waiting for me on my table.  I read them and re-read them very greedily – you are an angel to have written on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Yes I’m afraid the flat with only the smell of its male occupant will be rather a lonely place these next two months, but your books and a trip or two up to Town and the search for a bureau and for desk will help to pass the time.  I see in yesterday’s paper that officers in Group 25 are due to start being demobbed on 14^th March which is my new target date for D day as I have reason to believe, as I told you on Friday, that it may be a week or so earlier.  Only 67 days, darling!  Demob is, needless to say, the main topic of conversation here, but I have also investigated in a very minor way the Honours List and I’m told that no-one out here will be appearing in it and that our list which is due to be issued shortly will be an entirely separate one for ‘services in New Europe’.  I had quite a busy day yesterday in the office though I’m finding it very difficult to work up any real enthusiasm for work and I’m only one of many who are in a similar frame of mind.  Much against my will I felt rather obliged to go to a Defence Company party last night, but I felt I had to as the new OC had made a special point of asking me.  I found several chaps leaving at 11.30 so I tagged along with them as I was feeling a bit weary.  I stayed in bed until 9.15 this a.m. and before going up to the office wrote to Fenn Wright’s about the garage, Dick Porter about our subs and the Law Society giving notice of my intention to take the Final in November.  So that got several useful letters away.  I went up to the office at 11.15 and frigged about until lunch-time.  This afternoon I had arranged a friendly match against the local hospital but owing to demob and leave etc I couldn’t  get a very good team together – we lost 2-1, on a very slippery ground.  It was rock hard yesterday but today has been  degrees milder and has seen a good thaw out.

Yes darling I did bring the pyjamas back with me; as a matter of a fact I didn’t really realise it until I got to Dover that night, I think I must have put them in the spare room after making (?) the bed that morning with a view to my packing them – I had everything on the bed ready to pack in the morning.  I can’t remember anything other than the writing paper which you were going to send me – writing paper is a bit on the necessary side as this is literally the last ¼ of my last block.  I shall be most interested to hear how the children’s party went off, I hope John wasn’t too absent minded and didn’t ask the boys if theirs was beer a gin.  The dance at the Club really was an excellent show, wasn’t it?  I loved every second of it and reckon we must make it into an annual event.  In that Paul Jones, when I came opposite you I got just the thrill out of it that I got 10 or 11 years ago and I reckon its not every husband who could say the same thing in all honesty – but with you it couldn’t be otherwise, it will NEVER be anyhow else.  One thing I’m afraid which is rather on my conscience is the very stupid thing I told you on our way round to Oxford Road on Christmas morning about my wishing I hadn’t come back for Christmas – it was honestly NOT meant and I just can’t think why I ever said it.  I loved our Christmas and the New Year.  I could have wished and did wish that we could have got out of certain things, but the ‘pull’ was too great and one can’t suddenly drop things which one has done all ones life in that sort of line, but next year we will certainly cut out the tea party for a start, if not some of the others.  I wonder if the old so and so has appealed yet, I’m afraid it probably has but, talking slightly in riddles, if the start had been like the end, I would very much have had me doots, that is why, darling, I am certain when we are living our normal life things really will happen in a big way – this leave business is no good for that sort of thing unless cries etc are just right and they never have been since 1 April 44.  Oh! darling it won’t be long now before  March is with us, the most memorable month we will ever know.  I just can’t get over the flat, and what you have made of it, I shan’t get over it until I’m back again and even then it will be a fascination to me for always.  To think of living there with you, without thoughts of leaves or listening for ‘extra’ days, there with just you always, our ‘tray’ meals and the countless blessings of one’s own home, fills me with ecstasies of delight – how 100% worth while to forfeit pro tem the luxury of cheap cigarettes etc and a large wage, for the joys of no separation with you to help and encourage and make happy – bash on March.  Dearest Eileen, I adore you, love you and live only for you, and think of no-one, nothing, but you.  God bless you, my own sweet heart, and keep you always.  It won’t be long now,

            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 7 JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.     

On front of envelope 6 Jan

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

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Friday 4 Jan 46

My dearest Maz

This must I’m afraid be only a very short letter just to announce my safe arrival in the early hours of today after a very unpleasant journey, and more important to thank you for everything you did for me when I was home – I’m afraid I never thanked you nearly enough for so many things – your wonderful Christmas present, the meals I had with you and above all for the way you have looked after Eileen when I’m away, no one has/does appreciate it more than she, and yet my thanks were so very inadequate I’m afraid – it was a wonderful leave and I loved seeing you all again, and look forward to March a whole lot.

To Calais the journey went smoothly, I met my two mess mates at Victoria and we reached Dover at 1.30 am were up again at 6 am and, after a smoothish journey were at Calais at lunch time on Wednesday, but it was the train journey which was the unpleasant part – fortunately we got a carriage to ourselves and we left Calais at 6.30 pm, arrived 4 hours late at Brussels for the tea halt and 9 hours late at Wezel, (on the Rhine) for our first square meal since the previous day – it was 6 pm Thursday when we reached Wezel, and we finally got to Munster at 10 pm! and we didn’t reach the mess til 1 am today – some journey – thank goodness its my last return-from-leave trip ever I hope.  I will be writing more fully on Sunday – I’m so looking forward to hearing from you, your cigarettes, the oranges, and the mags were absolute Godsend during the journey.  Yes, it was grand to see you again and the next and final stop now is March, roll on March.  Much love to you, Maz dear, and 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 * JA 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.      

On front of envelope Written Jan 4^th 1945 [46] rec Jan 7^th 1945 [46] (1)

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