Hull Pals Memorial Post. PRIVATE THOMAS ARTHUR JOHNSON 32852. Born in 1897, Thomas was the eldest of two children and only son of Thomas and Alice Johnson of 45 Canning Street, Hull. Before the war he was employed by Messrs, Sanderson and Company, Paint Manufacturers, English Street, Hull. He was seriously injured during the attack on Oppy Wood and evacuated to the casualty clearing station at Aubigny where he died of wounds on 4th May 1917. He was buried at Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, a boy of 19 years. His army effects went to his mother at 4 Constable Buildings, English Street, Hull (War Pension address). His death was reported in the Hull Daily Mail, on 10/05/1917. Private Surfleet describes the scene:
“The bombardment lasted about half an hour and was immediately followed by a gas shell bombardment on our light artillery just in our rear. The ‘whirring’ of these shells passing over head and the dull ‘plonk’ of their landing was very weird and our guns stopped firing, we got a particularly isolated feeling, as if we were left on our own in those strange and insecure surroundings. The wind was blowing from the rear, so we soon got the gas coming over our bits of trench. The signal went round in a flash, and we pulled on our box-respirators as quickly as possible. Some of us were not at all sure of the necessity and took them off to see how things were going on: we did not take much convincing then! Shortly after this show commenced, a number of chaps staggered across the top coughing and spluttering: ‘I’m gassed! I’m gassed!’ and even in such trying circumstances I was amused at the muttered and muffled advice from the helmet next to mine: ‘Well put your bloody helmet on you fool!’
