D -21

Chad head

WOT! ONLY 3 more weeks?

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Thursday 21^st February

8.15 pm.

My own most precious darling,

This is my first ‘peaceful’ evening for some days, and I was quite determined to keep it so – someone phoned me this afternoon and asked whether I would like a game of poker this evening, but I said I was otherwise engaged – I am, and I like it!  It seems hardly possible that 3 weeks today will, DV, see the dawn of our long awaited D day – after so much waiting and hoping.  I am still wondering whether I really am wise to take the exam in November, and for the sake of four months whether to settle in at the office, wouldn’t be sounder policy, it’s all a frightful muddle in my own mind which is still clogged with the hundred and one petty daily problems of this army life.  It will all sort itself out in the end I know, but just now it seems right muddly, lass.  If we leave here on the 11^th March I hae me doots as to being demobbed on the 14^th and think the 15^th is more likely, and just how between then and the 2^nd April we are going to work in a fortnight in Scotland and get reasonably organised for the course.  I can’t quite see – I have longed for our holiday, right away and quite alone, more than you could ever guess, and no matter what happens we will get right away somewhere, that is the surest thing that ever happens, but oh! How I wish I could see how we can make it a fortnight without a frightful rush.

It’s been another ‘mad’ day today, sun, wind, snow all chasing one another round the clock, and when I woke this morning it was to find a couple of inches of snow on the ground.  I’ve been, as usual, pretty busy all day, and feel thankful to have this wizard evening to myself.  There is precious little news from this end though Leonard’s successor, who arrived yesterday evening, seems a good type, but it’s too early as yet to say how he will cope with the job.  Dearest, I do so hope you are taking care of yourself and that you are taking things easily still, you mustn’t have black ‘Jacksons’ when we meet, and it will be my constant and pleasant task to see that they never return, you are so terribly precious to me, and I love you, angel, so awfully much – please, darling, if by any mischance we can’t get away for a fortnight, please realise that I shall be just as disappointed as you, and if we decide that Scotland is too far I have another alternative for you to comment on – in August there is a break from the 1^st to the 28^th, why not lets book up now for 3 weeks at the Royal (Gibson’s recommend a complete rest from books etc.) and why not a week, a 100% Aunt Kate week before the course starts, at that place I’ll not forget, the University Arms, I feel almost certain that Brian would lend us his car for a week, and I’ll have my ‘demob leave’ petrol, and we could have some wizard outings (we’ll not go near Uppingham) – a car for a week away is far better than no car for 10 or 14 days away – I would write straight off (a) to the U.A. and (b) to book up at Dunkeld in August.  What do you say, darling?  I have planned a really early night tonight and must write a short letter to Brian before I have a pre-bed bath.  God bless you, my adorable girl, and keep you – my only wish is that whenever we go, however long for, you are happy, because I shall be too – with you, near you.  I’m just a different person and it is only then that I live.  My love, angel, is yours, just all of it,

            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 22 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 21 Feb.

D -24

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 18^th February

10.30 pm.

My own most precious darling,

Phew!  What a day, one of the worst ever and I now feel like a piece of chewed string.  Up to 11 ocl I had nothing but calls from the Chief of Staff, ‘have you got so and so ready?’, ‘Are the maps marked?’ ‘Have such and such details available ’!  from 11-1.15 I was making notes of the Conference, (all the red flannel in Europe was there), and from 2.30 – 7 ocl I was drafting the minutes and again between 8.30 and just now I’ve been checking the draft and trying to catch up on me days work.  Luckily I’m duty officer I think!  Still things might have been ‘worser’ and I’ve certainly earned my pay today.  Possibly thinking about today’s jobs I just couldn’t get to sleep last night and kept having to put the light on and smoke a cigarette – I was reasonably early to bed but it must have been well after 0200 hrs by the time I got to sleep – it was one of those nights when my pyjama pants kept riding up and having to be pulled down – on such occasions I always wish most fervently I wore a nightie – you’ve no idea how lucky you are! or have you?  My mind just cavorted round what seemed to be the never ending problems ahead, it flitted nimbly from today’s conference to our holiday, to the Gibson’s course, the exam, the office and back to the conference and so all over again – as the hours clocked by so did I wonder the more whether it is really wise for me to take the exam in November, or whether it wouldn’t be better to work in the office ‘til September getting the old eye in again and reading up the books before the 6 months intensive starts – There is still plenty of time to decide on this line of action, but the main consideration is finance, and I’m awaiting a reply now to my letter to Gerald telling him what the form is about the Gibson’s course – it is all a wee bit worrying and there is no-one here who one can ask for a second opinion.  What would you do, darling?  Before last night and early this morning I had never really considered the possibility of waiting ‘til March, because I was so dead keen to get the exam over and done with.

As I was rather afraid the order about the first dispatch date from here for Group 25 being the 6^th March was, to put it crudely, all balls.  Camp Orders were a misprint and it should have read 11^th March!  I heard that not long before I went to bed last night and that had also become the proverbial mountain before I had got much older!

I say, what a worried Peter you must think I am, I can honestly say I’ve not really, and know that everything will turn out OK in the end and it is only when one is a bit tired that these things get out of proportion and I have no right whatever to convey to you the entirely false impression that I’m harassed – I’m very far from it, and when I write D-24 at the top of my letter I says ‘whoopee!’ press on the days, roll on the 14^th!  I can think of little else but that Great Day, those coins rattling into the old telephone box, and that voice, sweetest by far, than any other in the world say ‘Hello, is that really you, home for ever?’  Angel girl I just love you ginormously much, and long only to be able to tell you what you mean to me – Now, after writing all this to you, I feel as though I’d just put back a pint of champagne (in fact I’ve just had about a pint of well-stewed char!) and all the cares of the world, all the mountains made from worm casts have vanished into thin air.  God bless you for everything, for being more wonderful, more precious than anything I know or shall ever know.  ALL my love belongs to you, only you, dearest heart,

yours for ever

and always

                        Peter

P.S. This one made me smile the other day (it wasn’t addressed to me!)  Image of Chad looking like a WC cistern.  WOT! ANOTHER BOG?

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 19 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 18 Feb.

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 17^th February

My dearest Maz

 Before anything else, before thanking you for your letters, I just can’t wait to thank you for being such a wonderful Florence Nightingale the Second, and for looking after Eileen, she wrote and told me, in terms which would make you blush, of the many things you did for her, and how wonderfully you cared for her – I just can’t thank you enough, Maz dear, and you can have no idea what a relief it is to me, miles from home, to know that if Eileen is ill, there is someone who will look after her like a mother, – then this week I’ve received 2 most welcome letters from you, written on the 5^th and 8^th, the latter enclosing John Van D’s letter.  Today the splendid packet of periodical came, so me Ma has been a double hero and qualifies for the Order of the Hero Super Class!  I do so hope you can manage that week-end with Aunt Beth, it will do you all the good in the world to get away for a few days and be a real Ellsworth.  I’m afraid the good news lately must have come as rather a blow to you, it was so unexpected, and yet another example of the way the wash outs who are in poor just haven’t the faintest conception of what the country need NOW.  I wouldn’t mind betting that Baby Austin and Dick in the South of France are far better off than the people of England, they certainly are in Holland and Belgium, but enough of this!

I’ve had, as I predicted, an extremely varied week and a rather tiring one – in the sporting line we’ve had 3 table tennis matches, on Monday, Thursday and Friday evenings, all of which we won comfortably, two were inter-branch games and one was in the Iserlohn area league, when I was playing no 1 for HQ 1 Corps – and we’ve had 2 hockey matches, yesterday and this afternoon.  Yesterday’s was our last league game and we had a very strong side out, don’t laugh when I tell you the score, we won 20-0!  At half time when we were leading 12-0 I changed everyone round, the backs played forward and vice versa – even then we scored 8 more, one of which I scored though I was playing left back!  This afternoon was a much better game, we played the Rest of the League, and the game wasn’t nearly as uneven as the score suggests, we won 9-3.  Our new G2 RA is a first class player, and played in both the games, before the war he played for the Army and Ireland and has put a lot of vim into our forward line!  On Wednesday I went to Leonard Olney’s farewell party, he goes at the end of next week, and it was an excellent ‘do’ – plenty to eat and drink and I had a very late night.  I shall be very sorry when he goes, though I shall only survive him by about a fortnight, and he has been a really excellent G3.

Last night, just to round the week off in good style, I went to see George Raft in a film called ‘Nob Hill’ – a technicolour film all about the night life of San Francisco in the roaring 80’s – one of the best of its type I’ve seen and quite good entertainment.

I’m afraid the news of my Gibson’s course starting on April 2 hasn’t gone with a 100% swing with Eileen, but there was no alternative, I say no alternative though of course one could have postponed the Final ‘til March ’47, but I’m most anxious to get it out of the way and over with.  The 4 month course isn’t long enough, the 5 month course is in Guildford just isn’t on, and the 6 month course is the only one left, but I can quite see Eileen’s point of view, her heart has been set, as has mine, on that holiday in Scotland, something we’ve talked about and planned for ages, and we still may be able to arrange it, especially as the date of release is probably going to be put forward a few days.  I’m not at all keen on starting so early, because the moment I start there’s just no letting up, and 3 weeks isn’t anything like long enough to get rehabilitated to start with a bang again – still that’s the way it goes and, if nothing else, I’m sure my chances are increased by doing the longer course.  Only 3 more weeks, what a super thought and then home for jolly old good, it really is too good for words.  It seems hardly possible in many ways.  Now, Maz dear, I must begin to close (sic!).  Again my most sincere thanks to you for being so wonderful to Eileen and here’s to 3 weeks time and to seeing you again.  My love to Pari and Brian, much love to 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 19 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope Written Feb 17^th 1946 rec Feb 22^nd 1946 (9)

D -26

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Saturday 16^th February

10.30 pm.

My own most precious darling,

These last two days have been very bad ones in the mail department and there has been no mail from the UK at all, but, I’m told on fairly reliable authority that there should be 3 days worth in tomorrow, and you can bet your bottom dollar that I shall be up to the Barracks tomorrow morning like a young rocket to collect!  I see in camp orders tonight that the release of officers Age & Service Gp 25 is now due to commence on 6 Mar, and if this is true it couldn’t be better news, but before celebrating, I am getting further details, the key date being the actual day which we leave here for Tournai and home – you can rest assured that I will keep you posted with all the up to date gen on this all important subject.  After I had written to you on Thursday evening I went down to the Club where some 8 of us had dinner to bid farewell to Henry Podmore, not on release, but he has been posted to Rhine Army HQ.  I had to leave directly after dinner and go up to the Barracks where G were battling against the Defence Coy in the Branch T.T. League.  I lost one of my two games but we did what we set out to do, namely to retain our position at the top of the League – we won 7.3.  I had a hectic day yesterday.  I had to be over at Dortmund after lunch to do a spot of work, and I watched the second half of the 49^th Division trial in which 5 of our chaps were performing.  Afterwards I had tea with them and got back here just before 6.  I had to see the Chief of Staff and tell him the results of my trip (not the hockey part of it! and didn’t leave his office til 6.45 – after a real shift on I was at Z Mess, washed and changed at 7.10 and Leonard and I came up for more ping pong at 8 ocl – we were both playing for the Corps HQ team and we beat our opponents 6-0, but Leonard and I stayed on after the match and had a few games.  This afternoon I think we set up a record – we played a local Sapper unit in the League, our last match in the hockey league – and we won 20-0!  We had really too strong a team out and at half-time, leading 12-0 we changed everyone round (I played left back) but even then we scored 8 more goals.  Our new G2 RA is a first class player, a regular he played for the Army before the war and played 2 games for Ireland.  One of our team came round here for dinner tonight and we’ve just got back from the Cinema where we saw ‘Nob (not knob!) Hill’, an old bowery type film ‘starring’ George Raft, in techinocolor, and very good entertainment.  So, my sweetheart, here I am – sorry to have given you such a long catalogue of my doings, but you’ll realise that I’ve been a ‘little man you’ve had a couple of busy days, and shall not repeat not be up at my usual early (8 am) time in the morning – late breakfast – then a brisk walk up to the office.  Tomorrow afternoon we have what promises to be a very good game of hockey – HQ 1 Corps v The Rest of the League – I don’t mind telling you I shall very early to bed tomorrow night, especially as I am on duty on Monday.  I’m so longing to hear from you, and to hear that you really are 100% well again, and that my letters have arrived – I will be back with you after tea, and until then will say ‘goodnight, my love’ and tell you how terribly, terribly much I’m longing to be able to say ‘and now my dream is here beside me’, beside me for always. God bless you, dearest heart, not much longer now til ‘der tag’ – I love you, darling, oh! so very very much and think of you always, be good and roll on March, yours with ALL my love

            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 18 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 16 Feb.

D -30

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Tuesday 12^th  February

6.45 pm.

My own most precious darling,

Angel I was so terribly sorry to hear that the flu bug had got you, but more relieved than I can say to hear that you were in capable hands and not having to be ill with no-one to look after you, I hope so much that you are really better now, and to hear in your next letter that you are making a good recovery – please, darling, whatever you do, don’t go out until you are really 100% fit to.  What a complete hero Lois has been, she couldn’t, as you said have been kinder.  I must drop her a line conveying my thanks etc.

I’ve had one hell of a day today, Leonard has been out and the phone just hasn’t stopped ringing and I’ve hardly had time to light even a cigarette!  Ah! Well only 27 more working days, not that if the hockey tour in Brussels 22-25 Feb comes off!

I heard from Gibson’s today that there is absolutely no chance of the 5 month course being held in London, that they had anticipated my problem and even provisionally put me down for the 6 month course, so it is now, blast it, quite definite that at 2.15 pm on 2^nd April I must find myself at 214 Chancery Lane!  The only good thing about it is that the odds on my passing the exam are now increased, and that is something but our programme must be revised and I will writing booking a room, one bed, at Dunkeld arriving at Dunkeld on the 22^nd and getting back to Colchester on the 30^th, it doesn’t I’m afraid give us very long up there, but it would be 9 wonderful carefree days – on second thoughts I will delay writing to Mrs Wilson until I get your reactions to the scheme.  At 9 oclish tonight I’m all set for a game of poker, which should be good fun.  I wish I could throw off the cold I’ve had now for a solid week, it just won’t go.  Tomorrow I have to be all again all day, a visit to the Training Centre in the morning and then on to Warendorf to see the chaps at 52 Div HQ in the afternoon, when I get back I shall be just in time to change before going to Leonard Olney’s party, Thursday and Friday night table tennis, Saturday and Sunday pms, hockey, and Monday a big Training conference here and yours truly on duty that night, so I shan’t be at all sorry when Tuesday dawns, but as I say these full up days do make the time fly past and that is all that matters ‘til 14^th March.  My darling I must away to dinner but will be back with you between then and 9 ocl, so TTFNMBG

Not quite right as the time is now 0040 hrs!  I came up here after dinner and did a spot of office ‘home work’ and before I had a chance to get back on the letter the poker party were yelling for me – the game was a very successful one as far as I was concerned and I was 21/- up at the end – the usual finishing round of jack pots cost me quite a bit but part was recovered on the last ace pot which someone opened and drew no cards – smelling a slight rat I saw him with 3 fours and he had two pairs -!  Now my angel, as I may be on the latish side tomorrow – sorry – tonight I must hop into bed.  I do so hope when this reaches you, you will really be feeling yourself again – poor old sweet, it makes you feel rotten doesn’t it?  God bless and keep you and roll right on March, it can’t roll on too quickly  – ALL, absolutely every little scrap of it, my love to you, you are always in my thoughts

 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 13 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 12 Feb.

D -31

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Monday 11^th February

9.00 pm.

My own most precious darling,

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

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

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

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

God bless you, dearest, dearest Eileen, and keep you.  I long to be back again with you and never cease from thinking about you, ALL my love to you, and only to you, yours for ever and always

                        Peter

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 12FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.    

On front of envelope 11 Feb.

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 10^th February

My dearest Maz

Since last Tuesday very little of note has happened here but I was delighted to get your letter of congratulations on my award – many thanks, Maz dear.  I’m sorry you lost a bet to Pari and I know that you never felt it would be automatic – there were only 3 MBEs and 1 OBE for the whole HQ.  I think the chances of any investiture in the near future are very remote, if at all, as there are many chaps who have had awards for a long time now without any summons to the Palace.  It will probably come plus a letter with George’s rubber stamp signature on it!  Many thanks, too, for the papers which I have received this week – they really are an absolute boon.  Since my return on Monday it just hasn’t stopped raining and there are fantastic flood scenes everywhere, I was out all day on Thursday and things were pretty bad then, but many roads throughout the Corps area are flooded and impassable now.  It has been a little better today, and this morning I walked up to the office where I had about an hour’s work to do and I went for another short walk this afternoon to look at our hockey ground which was quite unfit yesterday and our game had to be cancelled.  When I got in at 3 I got into bed and slept very heavily until 4.30!  I’m not awfully keen on afternoon sleep as I always feel so shocking when I wake up – I did today !  I haven’t been any too fit this week, for one thing the reaction to those 3 hard matches set in, then I almost but thankful to say not quite, had flu and to cap it all the trouble I had in Belgium last year returned, but has now completely gone I’m pleased to say.  After being on duty on Wednesday night and latish from my day visiting units on Thursday.  I saw films on both Friday and last night.  On Friday it was a German film called ‘Munchausen’, not bad but the sort of film which you must understand the dialogue to enjoy – I didn’t.  last night I saw Sonia Henie in ‘It’s a Pleasure’ – very light, beautiful skating and well worth seeing.  I’m still extremely busy and my job seems to grow each day rather than diminish but there’s not much longer to do now – in 4 weeks time, DV, I shall be on my way home with a single ticket! Rousing cheers.

I had very nice letters from Aunt Vi and Bill, both seemed delighted to hear of my MBE and both have been sent suitably worded replies.  My evenings next week are very full up, table tennis matches on Monday and Thursday, a farewell party on Wednesday and another on Friday!  Hockey, weather permitting, on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday!  One thing it fairly makes the time fly.  We shall soon be half way through February – I’m so terribly looking forward to seeing you again and to getting back to the flat and everything that means.  Eileen tells me she is having Epsom baths and all sorts of things to get her weight down – you women!  Well, little Maz, I must away to have a much needed bath – here’s to March, to Spring and demob.  My love to Pari and Elli, much love to 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 12 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope Written Feb 10^th 1946 rec Feb 14^th 1946 (8)