Johnson, Charles

BORN HULL 1889. SON OF WILLIAM JOHNSON AND FANNY KINSLEY. ENLISTED HULL. SERVED WITH THE 1/4TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT. WOUNDED ON 27/05/1918. DIED ON, 10/06/1918. BURIED AT COURMAS BRITISH CEMETERY, MARNE, FRANCE.
HE MARRIED AT HULL, IN JULY 1916. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS WIDOW, BEATRICE ALICE WOODCOCK (1890-1977) AND THEIR SON ARTHUR, AT  11 TALBOT TERRACE, TOOGOOD STREET, WINCOLMLEE, HULL AND 6 FLORENCE AVENUE, NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS).

HE WROTE A LETTER PUBLISHED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL ON 12/05/1915, ABOUT HIS SIX DAYS SPENT FIGHTING IN THE TRENCHES AT HILL 60. HIS WORK MATE, FROM SISSONS, PRIVATE, CHARLES HEARFIELD WAS KILLED IN THE FIGHTING. HE STATES IN HIS LETTER THAT “IT’S NOT WAR, BUT MURDER”. WE WERE SHELLED BY ARTILLERY FROM ALL SIDES. NOT TRACED IN CENSUS RECORDS.

1/4^th East Yorkshire Battalion War Diary – 27^th May 1918

When the storm of gas and High Explosive shells broke over the 50^th Division, at 1am, on 27 May 1918, the 1/4^th East Yorkshire Regiment of the 150^th Brigade (the left Battalion, of the left Brigade of the Division) were disposed as follows: “A” Company held the front line,  “B” Company was in close support in Trench Falais (in CRONNE, at the disposal of the 5^th Green Howards (on the right of the 1/4^th EYR), “D” Company was in support in Marais. For two and half hours the Tornado swept the whole divisional area, causing many casualties and practically destroying the Trenches. The 1/4^th EYR was completely disorganised and rear guard actions were fought back to the River Aisne and the Bridge at Maizy, “the number which succeeded in crossing being very small.” Total strength of the 1/4^th EYR was 4 Officers and 105 Other Ranks, out of 30 Officers and 642 Other Ranks, which began, before the attack. The Battle continued until 6^th June 1918, but the 1/4^th  EYR took no further part after the 27^th May and retired to Vert La Gravelle.

NB: CHARLIE JOHNSON, EYR, AGED 20YRS FROM ROWLANDS AVENUE, ARTHUR STREET, HULL.