BORN HULL 02/02/1889. SON OF WILLIAM RICHARD JOHNSON (1854-1909) AND ELIZABETH PETERS WALTERS (1856-1917), OF 100 WHEELER STREET, HULL & LEEDS. A ROUGH CUTTER AND COAL MINER.
HE ENLISTED IN THE 3RD WEST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT ON 16/07/1907. SERVED FOR SIX YEARS. MARRIED HILDA CHAMBERLAIN, IN LEEDS, ON 26/12/1908. HE LIVED IN LEEDS (1911 CENSUS). MOVED WITH HIS WIFE TO 47 CROMWELL ROAD, IN LEICESTER.
RE-ENLISTED IN DONCASTER, IN 1915. ARRIVED IN FRANCE ON 26/05/1915. PROMOTED SERGEANT ON 17/06/1915, IN THE YORK AND LANCASTER REGIMENT. WOUNDED IN ACTION, ON 29/09/1915. (SHRAPNEL WOUNDS TO ARM, THIGH AND HEAD). INVALIDED TO ENGLAND. SERVED IN EGYPT FROM 17/01/1916 AND ARRIVED IN FRANCE ON 11/02/1916. REPORTED MISSING ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME. LATER CONFIRMED AS KILLED IN ACTION, ON 01/07/1916, AGED 27. HE HAD SERVED FOR 8 YEARS AND 335 DAYS. HE LEFT A WIDOW, BROTHERS, WILLIAM (RE’S). FRED, ALFRED, EARNEST, AND SISTER BEATRICE.
HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL TO THE MISSING.
