Category Archives: World War II

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Monday 1 October

My dearest Maz

 I have just returned from my little holiday which has been most successful and am feeling a trifle weary after the 7 hour journey – we left Brussels a 2 ocl and I got back to the mess at 9 ocl – I have so much to tell you that I think I shall have to write this in two instalments, the second one tomorrow – before I tell you all about my journey to Zoute and Brussels I must thank you for your most welcome letter written just after you had got back from Bournemouth – I was very pleased to hear how well the car behaved coming back and that the holiday was such a good one, it will have done you such a power o’ good – Pari by now will be a full blown civilian and I am writing him a short note anon – I hope you received my p.c’s – I sent them via a letter to Eileen, I’m not sure what the drill is for sending p.c’s so thought it safer to send them that way.  I set off from here at 8.30 am on Wednesday and when I got to Brussels was told by the concierge at the flat that the Hanisons were still in Zoute so back into my jeep I got the next stop, at 5.15 pm was Zoute itself – I got a tremendous kick out of seeing the Bruges clock tower on my left and a signpost reading Knocke 13 km.  The Hanions and Maurice were delighted to see me and were all in excellent form – the old man was better and I met him out for a very slow walk on two sticks going up the Avenue Elizabeth when I got there – I dumped my bag and sent the driver plus jeep back here.  We didn’t go out in the evening so my first tour d’exploration was on Thursday morning when I walked down passed the Golf and Tennis club, the hotels we knew so well, Links (sic !), Golf, Tennis, St Andrews etc to the Place d’Albert brought some p.c’s and returned as it started to rain, feeling very depressed by what I had seen – before the place was liberated there had been quite a bit of shelling etc and as a start the Pro shop and cloakroom buildings were both completely razed to the ground, the 17th and 18th holes just wilderness of long grass and barbed wire – opposite the ‘centre’ court has shaggy grass growing all over it and the kiosk has stopped a shell of some sort and has collapsed sideways – moving down, the Links Hotel which was opposite the St Andrews is just a neat pile of stones and everywhere there is that uninhabited and barbed-wired look about – however all, nearly all, the villas on the sides of that Avenue, remember Les Hirondelles? – they are all, again nearly all, untouched and are being lived in – the place d’Albert itself is no more, just a lot of sand (the Boche had just a huge concrete pill-box in the centre – now demolished) and the Carlton and the Hotel the other side of the square all just empty, bricked up windows and completely uninhabited – I am enclosing a photo of the Carlton – no bricked up lower windows, no glass above and battered condition – all the Hotels right along the front are the same and holes have been knocked in the walls so that there was internal access all the way along, thus forming part of the West Wall.  Thank goodness they hadn’t been so thorough in Normandy!

Tues.  I have just finished lunch after a busy morning at the office and a real field day of letters including two most welcome ones from you, one from Pari and two from Elli who so successfully carried out my mission.  So very many thanks for your letters dated 25th and 28th – what a lovely day you had on the beach, no one wishes he could have been there more than I, perhaps in 1947 I may be, one never knows!  I believe Isaacs is making another statement this evening though it will be of no interest to BAOR officers.  Yes.  I fear your tennis days this year are drawing to an end and these last few days, cold and wet, have been a sharp reminder that the summer is over.  I played golf every day I was away and the 9 holes at Zoute are not at all bad – we went over to Siska (remember the children’s play grounds?) and had a waffle tea before playing, in the rain, 16 holes.  Germaine played 9 with us and came back and picked us up – the holes are all at the far end of the course, one being the ‘windmill’ hole and are in fair condition.  On Friday, in slightly improved conditions we played 18 holes after tea and both matches I beat Maurice by the last putt on the last green.  The H’s were in great form and gave me excellent food, and made me very comfortable in their very charming villa which looks out onto the 17th green.  On Saturday Maurice and I caught a train for Brussels at Bruges and after lunch chez M we went up to Waterloo where he and I were beaten in a very close 4 ball – beaten by some quite exceptional putting.  I wasn’t playing quite so well as I was at Zoute where I really played quite well, but was satisfied.  In the evening he and I went to a film ‘La Belle de Mexico’, not a very good show.  M was due to tee off in the usual Sunday competition at 12.45 so we had an early lunch and I borrowed some clubs and put in a little practice before going back into Brussels for tea – I met M by arrangement at 7 ocl and gave him a good dinner at an ‘officers’ only’ hotel and afterwards we went to a very good Music Hall show.  I spent Monday morning shopping and you will be pleased to hear that the cake tin will soon be on its way back to you.  After a good lunch we set off at 2 ocl and so home.  Now, Maz dear, I must close and get back to the office (I am already 15mins late!).  Much love to you, and to Pari and Elli.  Much love

            Yours as ever

very affectionately

                        Peter

PS  Many thanks also for ECS and the papers received this morning.

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 3 OC 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.    

On front of envelope Written Oct 1st 1945 rec Oct 5th 1945 (8)

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

SCOND WORLD WAR

October 1945

(Europe)

(Preparations for the Nuremberg Trials)

Following the defeat of Nazi Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, France and the Soviet Union agreed to a joint tribunal in the occupied German city of Nuremberg. The tribunal agreed to gather evidence against the Nazis for plotting and carrying out invasions of countries across Europe, and committing atrocities against their citizens during the Second World War. Evidence was also being gathered about the “Final Solution” of the Jewish problem during the Holocaust. Over 30,000 documents were gathered as evidence against the 177 defendants accused of war crimes. The Nuremberg Trials commenced on the 2nd November 1945 and ended on the 1st October 1946.

—

(Introduction of National Service)

British military commitments abroad were still required at the end of the Second World War. Britain still needed to maintain her diminishing Empire, occupy post-war Germany and Japan, and re-establish influence in the world, particularly in the Middle East. In 1947, after the independence of India, Britain no longer had a huge Indian Army at its disposal. To make up for the loss caused by the  demobilisation of the wartime conscripted army resulted in a form of a peacetime conscription programme. National Service came into force in 1949 for all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 21.

(Germany)

The Allied occupation of Germany was to ensure that Germany could not equip herself to fight another war.  

(National Service involvement)

Over two million men were conscripted into National Service. Their locations, apart fromGermany, were the Home Front, the Suez Canal zone, Korea and Cyprus. The Suez Canal zone was a particularly dangerous location as the Egyptians didn’t want the peacekeeping forces there. National Service conscripts were involved in combat in Korea, Kenya and Malaya. The need for National Service ended in June 1963 when regular soldier training recruits became a burden. Also, National Service drained workers from contributing to the British economy.

—

(Far East Asia)

With Japan defeated and the subsequent surrender signed on the 2nd September 1945, the Second World War was at an end. For the British government they were faced with a major challenge for the demobilisation of the “Forgotten Army” in the Far East. As with VE-Day in June 1945, age and time spent in uniform determined when most servicemen were released from the armed forces. A small number of so called “Key Workers”, whose occupational skills were vital for post-war reconstruction, were also released ahead of their allotted time. As with VE-Day, the demobilised troops were issued with the means to return to “civvy street”. The difference between the two victory days was that the “Forgotten Army” suffered the consequences of the pro-longed monsoon conditions. The demobilisation process was slow because of the numbers involved and was finally completed in 1947. Returning to civilian life servicemen found conditions to be extremely bad. In the six years of war the home front had endured bombardment and blockades resulting in shortages of many basic essentials. One of the biggest challenges, after many years apart, were husbands and wives had to adjust to living together again.

However, there were many servicemen and women who were not immediately demobilised, as they were the prisoners-of-war captured by the Japanese. More than 130 POW camps spread across East Asia housed almost 150,000 Allied soldiers and women personnel. Japanese military philosophy was such that anyone surrendering was beneath contempt, and as result the treatment of prisoners was harsh. Allied troops were forced to carry out slave-labour on a starvation diet of rice and vegetables, which led to severe malnutrition. The POWs seldom received Red Cross parcels, and tried to supplement their rations with whatever they could grow themselves. Many died of malnutrition or disease from the hostile environment. Many POWs endured sadistic punishments for the most minor breach of camp rules. Some women were also forced into slave-labour, many were sexually abused and many suffered horrific medical experiments. With Allied troops advancing they gradually liberated the interment camps, and were horrified at the conditions the POWs had been had been enduring. For many, liberation came too late. Almost a quarter of all Allied prisoners in Japanese hands died during captivity. Allied ships were refitted with hospital beds for ex-POWs to be transported to hospitals in India, where they were looked after medically and also fed with nutritious food. However, like the “Forgotten Army”, for many ex-POWs, demobilisation was not completed until 1947, but most of them suffered the after effects of tropical diseases for the rest of their lives. 

(Other Theatres)

When Germany surrendered in May 1945 all occupying UK/US Allied forces were forbidden to fraternise with German civilians. This order was partly rescinded in June 1945 when the occupying troops were allowed to fraternise with “small Children”. On the 1st October 1945 the directive for the non -fraternisation for UK/US troops was changed. Previously even speaking to a German civilian could lead to a court martial. The lifting of the directive was to lead to many Allied forces marrying German women.

Having served twice as Prime Minister, 56 years old Pierre Laval was a qualified French lawyer and politician in 1939. Laval, a fascist sympathiser, served in the Vichy government in 1940 after France’s defeat by the invasion of Nazi Germany. Officially independent the Vichy government adopted a policy of collaboration with Nazi Germany. Laval served in prominent positions in the Vichy government and displayed harsh treatment toward the people of France. He sent thousands of French people to slavery in Germany, and relying on heavy handed tactics to keep the population in line. Following the Liberation of France in 1944, Laval was imprisoned by the Germans but in April 1945 he escaped and fled to Spain. He soon returned to France and arrested by Charles de Gaule’s government. At his trial he was charged with collaboration with the enemy and plotting against the security of the state. Laval was found guilty and executed by firing squad on the 15th October 1945.    

Norway was a neutral country prior to the German invasion of 1940. Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian military officer and politician who had fascist views regarding the Norwegian Jewish community. When Germany occupied Norway, Quisling washead of the country’s government as a Nazi collaborator. As well as participating in Germany’s war efforts the collaborationist government deported many Jews. Their destination was to concentration camps in occupied Poland, where most were killed. At the end of the Second World War in Europe, during the legal purge of the collaborationist government, Quisling was put on trial for war crimes. He was found guilty of high treason against the Norwegian State. The charges also included murder and embezzlement for which he was sentenced to death. Quisling was executed by firing squad on the 24th October 1945.

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Footnote        

One final and significant event occurred before the German surrender on VE-Day that was to influence future space exploration.

After the Great War, the “Treaty of Versailles” did not include rocketry in its list of weapons forbidden to Germany. In the early 1930s a “Spaceflight Society” was formed in order to examine the possibility of a liquid-fuelled rocket engine. A formidable group of scientists became encompassed into Nazi Germany’s rocket programme.

The scientists developed the jet engine, designed by British Frank Whittle, to produce the first jet fighter. The Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter was faster than Allied conventional fighter planes but came too late to influence the outcome of the war for air supremacy. The scientists were more successful with the jet-pulse engine of the V1 Flying Bomb and the V2 rocket terror bomb. The V1 and V2 weapons ware launched against Britain and targets in Europe.

With both the Allies and the Red Army approaching Germany in 1945, Wernher von Braun, a high- ranking Nazi scientist/engineer and many of his fellow scientists opted to try to surrender to the Americans rather than to the Soviet Union.  They were successful and von Braun became an American citizen who was a leading light in the later space exploration programme.

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Postcards from Peter C. Benham to his mother.

Postcard of Knocke-Zoute

27 Sep 45

I got here yesterday evening and the Hs are in great form.  I have just returned from a walk round the Place d’Albert and it is too pathetic for words – all the hotels along the front, Carlton included, are desolate, big bottom windows bricked in – all glass smashed and holes in the roofs, no sign of life – more when I write ML            Peter

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

No postmark.  Signed P.C. Benham.      

Postcard of Knocke –Albert Plage Casino

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Thurs 27 Sep 45

I hope this finds its destination and that it doesn’t make you feel too homesick!  I saw it for the first time yesterday evening after a 250 mile trip.  I am staying here until Saturday when Maurice and I go back to Brussels for a weekend at Waterloo – more by letter ML Peter

Headed ‘On Active Service’ addressed to Major Gerald Benham MC, TD, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

No postmark.  Signed P.C. Benham.      

Letter from Peter C. Benham to his mother.

Major P.C. Benham

G Branch

HQ I Corps District

B.A.O.R.

Sunday 23rd September

My dearest Maz,

Thank you so very much for your most interesting letter written from Bournemouth – I was so glad to hear what a real success the holiday was and know it will have done you a power of good – the car really behaved well and I should imagine Pari’s relief on that account was terrific!  I had a letter from Eileen yesterday written just after your return.  I know how pleased she was that you are back and I can well imagine that you have had some terrific and real old fashioned chin-wags!  I shall be going up to the office later on this morning and hope to find a letter from you – I will report later on.

You will be sorry to hear that my trip to Copenhagen is off – there were 109 entries from this Corps alone and we were only given 9 vacancies – two were given to each Division and one left over for the 12 entrants from Corps HQ – I was not the lucky one – but it means that my way is now clear to plan my 72 hours leave and I hope to go down to Brussels on Wednesday coming back the following Monday – it should be great fun and I’m looking forward to the break.  My only exercise this week has been a League hockey match on Tuesday in which we maintained our unbeaten record by winning 5-1 against our Air OP Squadron.  I celebrated my first game complete with rubber handle on stick (it makes a big difference) by scoring 4 goals.  My only entertainment this week has been one film which I went to on Thursday night and thoroughly enjoyed – it was perhaps a little too long but the acting was first class – Henry V was the film the two principal actors being Lawrence Olivier and Leslie Banks – I wonder whether you have seen it.  I had to attend a meeting of the BAOR Hockey Committee on Friday and it made a good day out, only my second day away from the office on duty since mid June!  I met Gordon up there and he was much less Gordonish than usual – he had only been back from leave for a day or two and told me all about Joyce’s party – I gather Ernest spared absolutely no expense and did the thing as only Ernest would.  Apart from these diversions and a game of poker on Wednesday evening at which I finished 1/- down after long spells of good and bad fortune (four Queens was my best hand) I haven’t had a very thrilling week and there is a frightful air of gloom about over demobbing.  You know they invoked the Military necessity clause for retaining most Ordnance and Sapper officers in BAOR only some week or so ago it is now strongly rumoured that the same is going to happen to all officers only in BAOR only over age group 20.  I need hardly add that should this be done there will be such discontent throughout the officers in BAOR that they will get very little work done.  One can put in a plea to Monty personally that one should be released on grounds of hardship and I have already drafted mine!  Just supposing it is done then I could expect to be out in about July next year if lucky I.E. I shouldn’t be able to take my final until March 1947 – it is a frightful thought isn’t it?  At the moment it appears to be very much on the cards and we have had a warning letter about it.  I won’t really start bemoaning my fate until something definite comes in!!

Later.  I went up to the office this am but found that there was no mail today due to the gales.  Instead I played several games of ping-pong, looked at a few files, took action on those that needed it and put into practice that well-known motto ‘never do today what you can put off ‘til tomorrow’ with the others!  Feeling a bit depressed round about lunch time I decided the only thing to do was to play in the tournament and so presented myself at the courts at 2 ocl.  I was given a double handicap this time by being put with a keen but clue-less L/Cpl – they had 4 sections of 5 couples each and we won ours after playing off a tie, won the semi final and then got to the one set final – it was all on handicap (automatic variety) and honestly some of the players aren’t at all bad – in the final, although I say it as shouldn’t I played really well, drop shots, volleys all angles, smashes etc all came off and we won, thanks to some steady play by my partner, 6.3.  I didn’t accept my prize but, amid loud applause, handed it to the ATS girl who had got nearest to winning – oh! how I should like some really good tennis, I believe but for the war I could have got somewhere, now, of course, and there is no question about it and I shouldn’t wish it otherwise.  I’ve well and truly had it.  Eh bien, Maz dear, I must awa’ the noo, please remember Vines(!), my love to Pari and Elli and much love to yourself, God bless you

            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 24 SP 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope Written Sept 23rd 1945 rec Sept 26th 1945.        (7)

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

Letter from Peter C. Benham to his mother.

Major P.C. Benham

G Branch

HQ I Corps District

B.A.O.R.

Sunday 16 September

I entirely forgot the linen – I am sending it off to Eileen soon with instructions that you are to have some – unfortunately the stock is exhausted and it was pure luck that I got any at all.  P

My dearest Maz,

Since Tuesday I’ve thought so much about you and Pari at the Palace Court and by the time this reaches you your 1945 holiday will have become one of the things of the past – I do so hope the weather was kind to you, it hasn’t been at all bad here this week, and I’m so looking forward to hearing all about it, the journey there and back etc, etc – So very many thanks for your letters this week, one written on Friday the other just after everything was packed up ready to go, (all bar the office!).   I’m so pleased Eileen has been able to help you and do the little jobs which a holiday entails, she loves doing them.  Your tennis on ‘the grass’ is nearly over now but you have certainly made the most of the season and we got some very good games when I was home didn’t we?  You will never guess what I am doing today – I’m playing in an American Tennis Tournament – at 11 ocl I appear at the courts and we draw for partners – I think the majority of players, a fair proportion of officers, ATS and ORs will be performing without much of a clue but it might be amusing – I will leave this open and add a PS as to how I get on.  The extra hour in bed this morning (all our clocks are back an hour) was very welcome but I woke up at 7 ocl (new time) and didn’t get to sleep again.  My week has been mainly occupied by organising and playing various games – hockey, tennis and soccer.  On Monday evening I played a single with our DDST – Col Bright-Holmes – he is about 46 and was Army Champion, played for Hampshire and at Wimbledon.  He is still very useful but is really a doubles player – after 1½ hrs excellent games I beat him  2-1.  He has to play with his elbow bound up and our return game on Tuesday was cancelled, as he told me I had finished him for some time! anyway for a single.  Thursday was a hockey afternoon against a team from another branch, my G team won a rather poor game 7-0 (5).  We played an inter mess soccer game on Wednesday and on Thursday evening I had a single with Nigel Raban.  In between times I have been very busy and there has been enough work to make the time go very quickly.  I have been appointed 1 Corps member on the Rhine Army Hockey Committee which will entail a little more work but not the sort of work I mind!  Our first meeting is next Friday and will mean a longish journey and the first trip away from the office since my return from leave.  Nothing has come in yet about the golf in Denmark, I have a brochure of the course which looks lovely but there are nearly 100 entries from 1 Corps alone and only 10 will be accepted so my chances of going are very remote!  I shan’t be at all sorry as I shall nip down for a long 72 hours to Brussels in lieu and should get some really good days golf at Waterloo – I had a long letter from Germaine the other day and she says Zoute is very rapidly losing its West Wall appearance though 9 holes is the best out of the 3 courses they can do – Lekkubek completely written off – the Casino – wait for it – the Casino is open – that should give Pari a mental kick!  Only the ground floor though.  I also have to thank you for the wonderful array of mags which came early this week and some more baccy – 2 lots during the last fortnight, the last one marked GCB 3.  I am on the lookout for his latest markings.  Now, little Maz, the time has come for me to get ready for the Tournament so I must away – you have know idea how glowingly Eileen writes about you both, you are absolute P.Hs (Public Heroes).  Much love to Pari and Elli and to yourself, not very long now before our next and final leave.

            Yours as ever

very affectionately

                        Peter

Later,  Have just had dinner  and feel very exhausted after playing 92 games!!  About 40 people were there, all sorts and sizes and my partner drawn for was an Ordnance Captain – fairly steady at times, we played a short set, sudden death of 5 all, and mixed pairs started 15 a game up, and one lost 15 for every game one was up – new balls etc.  To cut a long story short we won our section by one game and played, almost dark, the winners of the other section, whom we beat 7-5!  My prize, which I first saw at lunch!, was a fitted ladies dressing case, good value, which I shall send back to Eileen!  M.L. Peter

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 17 SP 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope Written Sept 16th 1945 rec Sept 19th 1945.        (6)

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

Note of Discharge from Hospital 10th September 1945.

Sub Form 624.AIR MINISTRY,

To be discharged from R.A.F. Hospital Cosford on 10.9.45. to Sick Leave.

2211329  F/S Wilkinson.                                        Fit for discharge.  To proceed on 21

days Sick Leave and report to Unit for Duty on expiry.

A3B in 21 days until then AtBt.

Signature unreadable

Wing Commander Commanding

R.A.F. Hospital Cosford.

106 PRC

Letter from Peter C. Benham to his mother.

Major P.C. Benham

G Branch

HQ I Corps District

B.A.O.R.

Sunday 9 September

My dearest Maz,

Thank you so very much for your letters this week and also for the magnificent parcel of papers, a really good selection.  Needless to say I shall be thinking of you and Pari on Tuesday and I do so hope you have a good run down in the car and that the weather is kind to you.  You deserve a really good holiday and I hope you are both real Aunt Kates in every way – after my food poisoning I started work on Monday but the first 3 or 4 days of the week left me with an ‘unanchored’ feeling in my stum though by Friday I was 100% fit again.  Tim is back now so I’m not having to do quite so much and I’m taking things a bit easy!  We played our second hockey match in the local league on Thursday and the game was not a particularly pleasant one.  Their umpire was very biased and gave numerous bad decisions and the opposition didn’t play a very clean game.  We won 4-0 (2) but it wasn’t as easy a win as it sounds.  My only other sporting activity was yesterday afternoon when Nigel and I had a game of tennis, we had a long knock-up and one set, it was very enjoyable and sunny playing – the courts really aren’t at all bad but the equipment, racquets and balls, are very second class.

At the end of this month there is a 3 day golf tournament at Rungsted, near Copenhagen, open to BAOR personnel with handicaps of 9 and under – Tim and I have entered but I’m afraid the number of entries accepted is likely to be very small from 1 Corps – it is a long way by land nearly 700 miles but if our entries are accepted we shall probably fly there – only 3 or 4 hours!  One of the better things about it is that it does not count as leave so I’m still hoping for my 3 or 4 days in Brussels at the end of next week if the Haunon’s are back from Zoute – someone who is down there this week-end is going to find out the form for me.  It hardly seems possible in some ways that I have been back from leave now for over a month in other ways it seems an eternity though it was a leave I shall never forget.  In the entertainment line, I went to see, or rather hear, the Dusseldorf Symphony Orchestra at the Garrison Theatre on Friday night – they gave a first class performance and their rendering of the Tannhauser Overture by Wagner was splendid (I know nothing about it really but enjoyed it a lot!!)  They were showing ‘The Way to the Stars’ at the Cinema all the week, but, though I fully intended to see it again somehow never did.

I am on duty all day today but again am not over-exerting myself and there has been very little to do to date.  I started this this morning, and it’s now nearly 4.30 and an orderly has just brought me in a cup of tea and some cakes so I’m not doing too badly.  There have been several letters to the Times and Telegraph recently on the shoddy treatment meted out to the TA, RNVR and RAFVR and in yesterdays Telegraph I see there is a leader suggesting to the Minister of Labour that all pre-Munich TA chaps should have their release put forward etc – I don’t think for a moment that it will bear fruit though it is a slender ray of hope for getting out justifiably a little sooner.

I had a letter yesterday from Eileen written on Tuesday and she told me how simply wonderful you have been to her, the many things you have done for her and given her to start the flat going.  Maz dear I can never thank you enough – Yes, I too shall feel very sad at not living at 5 Oxford Road after so many wonderful years there – it will seem very strange at first but we aren’t so very far away – supposing I had joined the Army in 1936 instead of the army of worlds workers.  Throughout these last 6 years we have had such marvellous leaves and their success has been mainly due to everything that you and Pari have done for us.  I mustn’t, we mustn’t talk in the past because in the future there lie so many happy days – may this really be the last war we shall ever see and may the ‘famille Benham’ grow, not only in size, but in all that is good and best in real family life.

Now, little Maz, I must just browse through a few files which have just found their way into my ‘in’ basket.  Much love and may your holiday be a really super one, God bless.  My love to Pari and yourself

            Yours as ever

very affectionately

                        Peter

In envelope headed ‘O A S’ addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, Palace Court Hotel, Bournemouth Hants.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 10 SP 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope Written Sept 9th 1945 rec Sept 12th 1945.          (5)

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

Major P.C. Benham

G Branch

HQ I Corps District

B.A.O.R.

Sunday 2nd September  

My dearest Maz,

So very many thanks for your letters of the 24th and 29th – I loved reading of all your news and was very pleased in the letter which reached me today to hear you were in a slightly ‘soap-boxish’ frame of mind – I’ve felt just the same myself recently!  I just can’t thank you enough for all you have done for Eileen – she has told me so many times how absolutely sweet you were to her and what a splendid nurse you were, from my experience I know so well what she meant – you have no idea what a comfort it is when I’m away to know that, should Eileen be ill, you are there to look after her, again a thousand thanks.

Eileen seems to be getting a rare hustle on with the flat and her enthusiasm has raised my spirits a lot and my impatience to get home has grown correspondingly.  You and Pari don’t seem to be wasting your time either, bureaux, Heppelwhite’s etc.  I don’t think I know the house in Fitzwalter Road which you were talking about, but from your description of it it didn’t sound very suitable for you and Pari.  You also seem to have had some good tennis and this last week, if your weather has been anything like ours here, should have seen you getting some more.  I hope so much that it will be fine for your holiday, what a difference it makes if the sun shines and it’s warm.

My own week, as Eileen will have told you, has had rather a tragic ending in that I spent all day yesterday in bed feeling like death and have been indoors, though very much better, most of today.  Charles left on Monday and I had a very cheery letter from him today – he seems very happy with his new job, he is a real pukka school-teacher once again, and works and lives in very comfortable and old-world surroundings.  Also today I had a very nice letter from Elli, he seems to have really enjoyed his holiday, had plenty of variety, made some good friends and it will have done him a world of good.  My own activities this week have been fairly varied and with Trevor Harrison’s arrival back from leave, I’ve not been quite so busy as of late.  On Wednesday night Nigel and I went to see a film called ‘The Hitler Gang’.  Well acted and worth seeing, with no-one well known in it.  Thursday saw me playing hockey in the afternoon – we had a very good game against the Sergeants which we rather surprisingly won 5.2 (3).  It was a very hot afternoon and I felt rather whacked after a lot of running about.  Friday was really my downfall!  Our attached Dutch officers gave a large party at 12 midday in honour of Queen Wilhelmina’s birthday and I had a drink which they called gin and lime but which certainly tasted odd though I didn’t think much about it at the time.  After an early dinner Nigel and I went along to see ‘The Circle’ an ENSA play with a wonderful cast – Leslie Banks, Yvonne Arnand, Cecil Trouncer, Rosalie Crutchley and Max Adrian.  It was excellent and afterwards I was invited by our Welfare king to go along to a party to which the artists had been invited – I was feeling 100% fit and I found not the large party I had expected but just 6 of us plus the cast sitting down to a magnificent dinner at about 11.30!  I sat between Leslie Banks and R. Crutchley and they were extremely nice – I rather shook the former by reminding him that he was in the Essex Regiment at the beginning of the last war.  I was extremely careful of what I ate and had only one glass of champagne and got back to my room at 2.30 am 100% sober and feeling very fit.  At 6 am I woke up feeling terribly sick and between then and 11.30 was sick at half hour intervals – the Doc came in and had a look at me in the morning and said I had slight food poisoning and that I was to eat nothing that day, I didn’t. but woke this morning feeling a hundred times better and very hungry.  I have taken things very slowly today and went out for a short walk this afternoon – I really felt like death yesterday morning what it was I don’t know but looking back believe it may have been some awful soup we had in the Mess on Friday night, several others have been queer and one chap has been even worse than I.

Well, little Maz, I guess I must close now – thank you so very much again for looking after Eileen so well, my love to Pari and Elli, God bless you and much love

            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 3 SP 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.     

On front of envelope Written Sept 2nd 1945 rec Sept 6th 1945.           (4)

AFTERMATH OF THE HOSTILITIES OF THE

SECOND WORLD WAR

There can be no finer way to honour the men and women who lost their lives in two world wars, than the inscription on the Kohima Epitaph, written by John Maxwell Edmonds.

When you go home, tell them of us and say.

For your tomorrow. We gave our today.

——-

The ITV Television Company began to broadcast “The World at War” series in October 1973. The 26 episodes of the series was narrated by British actor Sir Laurence Olivier. The final episode, named “Remember” was broadcast in May 1974. The episode began with the narrator saying, “The Day the Soldiers Came”, and showed the massacre at Ourador-sur-Glaise and ended with American historian Dr. Stephen Ambrose taking up the story:

“The British had as many problems, if not more, recovering from victory as the Germans did recovering from defeat. What did Britain get out of the war? Not very much, she lost a great deal. Positively she got a moral claim on the world as the nation and her dominions and colonies who had stood against Hitler alone for a year and provided the moral leadership against the Nazis when everyone else was willing to cave in to the Nazis.

The single criticism I would make of Churchill during the war was that he overstrained the British economy for victory, that he did more than had to be done. Britain was the most mobilised nation in the war. The rail system was worn out, the industrial plant was worn out, the transport system was worn out. In addition, the Americans drove a very hard bargain. The Lend-Lease Act [1941], which Churchill called the “least sordid act in all human history”, may well have been that, but there was much about it all that wasn’t pretty. The Americans insisted that the British sell their overseas assets, this meant that at the end of the war the income that the British counted on and depended on for so long from her overseas investments was no longer there. They had been sold at American insistence. Beyond that, the Americans had also forced the British to break up the sterling bloc to open it up to American investment and the United States had all kinds of excess capital available for overseas investment when the war ended. The Americans then moved into the areas that had been British colonies, whether simple or economic colonies. So Britain was in a much weaker position at the end of the war than she had been at the beginning and was not in a position to recover. Added to that was the sentiment around the world that had been built up by Allied propaganda that this was a war for human freedom, liberty, freedom from hunger, freedom from fear, freedom from exploitation, so that you had a universal sentiment to end European colonisation, which was in the large part British colonisation.

At the end of the war there was great hope. No one dared to use the words Woodrow Wilson had used in World War One, that this was “the war to end all wars”, but that was the sentiment. There was great hope in the world that this would happen, that this was the last war, that the victors would now be able to cooperate in peace as they had in war, to see to it that the four policemen – as Roosevelt liked to refer to Britain, France, the USSR and the United States – would be able to see to it there would be no more aggression in the world. That the war had meant something, that it had been fought for something rather than simply against Nazism, something positive, a better world was going to emerge. I suspect even Stalin thought it.

America wanted to have a very strong Japan, as a counter to the Soviets in the Far East, and also as a counter to what they feared was going to happen in China. Already the handwriting was on the wall in China as to who was going to win the civil war there. The Americans wanted Japan rebuilt as quickly as possible and a highly industrialised Japan to emerge from the war within the American orbit. So they systematically excluded all the Allies. The Australians and British had wanted reparations from Japan: they had suffered pretty badly at the hands of the Japanese and had a good claim for getting something back. The Americans absolutely refused and Japan had no reparations to pay at all. The Russians in the Far East, aside from gains of such places as Port Arthur, Manchuria and North Korea, got a Communist China. It’s not clear that Stalin wanted a Communist China: he gave very little support to Mao to win the Chinese civil war. Both parties would soon enough have reason to wonder how good a deal they made, with the growth of Japan since the war and her economic position today, and obviously the Soviet Union has had enormous difficulties with China.

Was a Russian/American conflict inevitable? It mattered little if it was a Tsarist Russia or a Communist Russia. Of course, all of these great world conflicts, of which the twentieth century had seen the worst, are always followed by a falling out between the victors once they have lost everything that holds them together – the common enemy. Russian ambitions and American ambitions were bound to clash. Added to this was the ideological dispute between capitalism and Communism that heightened but did not create the tension. I think this one of the few times in history when one can use the word “inevitable”. I don’t think there was a ghost of a chance of the Russians and Americans creating the kind of world they talked about during the war – an Atlantic Charter kind of world, or a United Nations kind of world, in which the victors continue to cooperate as they did during the war.

I think one can be very positive about the Second World War. The most important single result is that the Nazis were crushed, the militarists in Japan were crushed, the Fascists in Italy were crushed, and surely justice has never been better served”.

To Summarise, Dr. Ambrose stated:

“Until America entered the war in December 1941, Britain and the Colonies were sole defenders against Nazi Germany. Because America had never been attacked, they were producing more food than they could eat, more steel than they could use and more clothes than they could wear. Britain was beholden to the U.S. for supplies, and entered into an agreement that the U.S. would provide Britain with all the supplies they required. The U.S. emerged from the war as overall winners, both financially and militarily. Germany would be rebuilt, but British soldiers came home to austerity. Britain did not fare very well in the end”.

“Not much for the Freedom of the World”.

——————————————————

 

B

Fukuoka Camp No. 9

27th August 1945

REPORT ON BEATING OF OFFICERS BY CAMP COMMANDANT.

            On June 22nd 1945, when working on the farm, I was attacked by a guard named Yama, who thrashed my bare back with a bamboo and raised many bloody weals.  On return to the Camp, Capt. Radcliffe, the Senior British Officer in the Camp, who had interceded at the beating and who had received several blows himself, decided to report the matter to the Camp Commandant direct.  Capt. Radcliffe, Mr. Furness, whose head had been split open by the same guard, and I, went to the Nipponese Office, accompanied by the Dutch Interpreter.  Capt. Radcliffe then started to make his report to the Nipponese Sergeant; there was much interruption from other Nipponese NCO’s., and others who were in the office, which attracted the attention of the Camp Commandant.  Capt. Radcliffe endeavoured to explain the position to him, but although he must have seen my lacerated back which had been bared for exhibition, his only action was to strike Capt. Radcliffe, Mr. Furness, and myself violently in our faces, and to say that we would be punished if we did not work hard.  Capt. Radcliffe received about 6 heavy blows in the face and Mr. Furness and I about 4.  He then dismissed us.  His attack was quite unjustified, and he did not listen to the complaint either before striking us or afterwards.

E.S. Thomas Lieut. R.E.

Witness………….Harold Radcliffe Capt. R.A.

(Senior British Officer)

D.

REPORT ON ILL-TREATMENT OF NO 1614712 L/BDR. CHILTON, F. DURING CAPTIVITY AS P.O.W. IN JAPAN.

————————————————————————————————

            On a certain day in the first quarter of 1944 at No. 1 sub-camp, Kasii, Fukuoka P.O.W. Camp, the undersigned officers were witness to a brutal assault on the above-mentioned L/Bdr. Chilton by the Camp Commandant, Sakamoto, Lt.  L/Bdr. Chilton was marched into the camp before the Commandant, who thereupon attacked him, and incidentally other members of the working party, with a bamboo pole and fists, beating him over the head and body until he was felled to the ground.  The Commandant then kicked him in the body, and finally kicked him behind his left ear, until he lost consciousness.  The Commandant then ordered two Nipponese guards to pick him up and carry him into the hut and throw him on the bed.

W.M. Craig Capt. R.A.

A.M. Simpson Lieut. R.A.

27th August, 1945.