9th December 1918, Letter from Alfred Johnson to Essie, : We have started our trek now and have spent the night in a place called Bavay. I am with the guns going in a different way to the rest of the battery.

11 December 1918 I am writing in a place called Philippeville [Namur province]. We had quite an exciting time getting the guns through old gateways and over bridges. You very nearly had me back a gunner as I should certainly have been courtmartialed if we had dropped one of the caterpillars in the moat. We are in civilised country now the fields cultivated, cattle grazing and no ruined houses.