Letter to Essie 23.12.1918
The pig has been killed. At one time it was feared he would die a natural death from too much lorry travelling but has survived all the moving and met his end yesterday morning. Reading: 'Beyond', John Galsworthy, (1917)
03.01.1919 Alfred Johnson, letter to Essie I have been playing football to-day the first time I have played in a match since the Artist days. I think all men with jobs with be demobilised fairly soon. They are demobilising 5000 a day now and that is soon to be nearly doubled.
[Johnson played football for the University of Manchester team where he studied classics in the early 1900s]
04.01.1919 Letter to from Artillery Lieutenant Alfred Johnson in Belgium to his wife Essie: It appears we are not off to Germany at least not for the present, which is rather disappointing
The Morning Post: Military Awards For services in France and Flanders A.F. Johnson, Military Cross
25.01.1919 Letter to from Artillery Lieutenant Alfred Johnson to his wife Essie:
I don't know what I got the MC for. The Major put my name in last September for things in general I think. That is all I know. We went to Dinant yesterday.
We have demobilised a good many men, sent about 40 away to heavy batteries to help with the horses.
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Voices from 1918 has been developed by artists Sharon Hayden and Alastair Nisbet in partnership with Wimborne Community Theatre, Dorset History Centre and the Priest’s House Museum, Wimborne with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Thanks to all who have helped us with this project: Maria Gayton and staff at Dorset History Centre where we found Lady Mary Monkswell’s diaries; Joan Cocozza, ward of nursing auxiliary Olive Harcourt; Portland Museum where we found James Sansom’s diaries; the British Library and Wellcome Libraries; Priest’s House Museum in Wimborne and Gill Horitz from Wimborne Community Theatre.
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