Name
William George Johnson
21 Dec 1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/06/1917
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
14766
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ACHIET-LE-GRAND COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
I. J. 28.
France
Headstone Inscription
BELOVED
UK & Other Memorials
All Saints' Church Memorial(s), Hockerill, Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial
Pre War
William George Johnson was born on 21 Dec 1889 in Bishop's Stortford to James Johnson and Sophia (nee Snow). Sadly his father died in 1890 and on the 1891 Census William was living in Lothins Cross, Bishop's Stortford with his widowed mother, Minnie (Marion born 1883), James (born 1886) George John (born 1887) and Frederick (born 1890).
By the 1901 Census the family were living in a cottage at South Street, Bishop's Stortford and his mother was working as a fur factory sorter, Marion was a machine feeder, John was fur cleanser while Frederick and William were at school.
On the 1911 Census William was living with his mother still working as locker at Fur factory) and Frederick, a nurseryman/gardener at 18 Wharf Road, Bishop's Stortford and was working as a Butcher's Shop Assistant.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for William, he enlisted at Bishop's Stortford some time in 1914 and was posted to the 7th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, the Battalion arriving in Boulogne, France on 26 Jul 1915 to join 54 Brigade, 18 (Eastern) Division.
In 1916 The Battalion took part in the Battles of the Somme: In 1917 the action at Miraumont, The advance to the Hindenburg Line and 3rd Battle of the Scarpe (part of the Arras Offensive). The battalion suffered severe casualties during the attack by the Division on 3 May 1917 when Other Ranks casualties recorded were; Killed 19, Missing 48, Wounded 162, Died of Wounds 6, Missing believed Killed 4, Missing & Wounded 3. However as William died on 14 Jun 1917, of wounds received in action at No. 45 Casualty Clearing Station, France which was at Achiet-Le-Grand, it is more likely that he was a victim of the attrition of trench warfare out of Major Actions.
Additional Information
Brother to George John Johnson 265358 Herts. Regt. who died 7 Nov 1918, also named on the Bishop's Stortford Memorial. A War Gratuity of £16 was divided between his mother (£12) and his sister in law Florence (£4). His pay owing of £15 was to be divided equally between his mother, sister Marion and his two brothers, Frederick and George, however Frederick asked for his share to be given to his mother and George asked for his share to be given to his wife Florence.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
