Walter on his Dodge tipper, outside the Belgian Chateau they were billeted at somewhere near Boom, between Brussels and Antwerp. Winter 1944.

Quiet Mike: "You said you were in Antwerp for Christmas?"

Walter: "I went to stay with my friends at Estelle’s. I went up there, we’d got a wagon, a liberty wagon, and we went up to somewhere not far from Fort Seven, I can’t think of the name of it. It was by Fort Seven. Then I’d got a tram into the city and went to see my friends, and it was bad weather, it was snowing. I left Estelle's, early enough, and got the tram back, but there was some sort of hold up, and when I’d got back the liberty wagon had gone. So, I didn’t really know what to do, and it was snowing as well. I got back onto the road, and was walking back. I didn’t know what I was going to do mind you.

"Anyway I started walking back, and looking around all of I sudden I saw headlights. I waved him down, and it was my mate. It was our dispatch rider, George Rand. I couldn’t believe it! He’d pinched a truck and gone up into Antwerp. It was my good fortune really. I stopped him and got in. He drove us to the gate and parked it by the side of the road. I said 'Are you on duty?', 'No, I borrowed it.' Good for me, and I got back in time." View full size.