Geoffrey Stewart Johnston

Name

Geoffrey Stewart Johnston

Conflict

First World War

Date of Death / Age

14/05/1915
26

Rank, Service Number & Service Details

Lieutenant
Essex Yeomanry

Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards

1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals

Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country

YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 5.
Belgium

Headstone Inscription

No known grave

UK & Other Memorials

Gilston War Memorial, Gilston

Pre War

Geoffrey was born in Gilston, Herts in 1889, one of seven children born to Reginald Eden John and Rose Johnston.

He grew up in Terling Park House, Gilston, and in 1911 was an undergraduate living at Penmenner House, The Lizard, Cornwall.

Wartime Service

 Lieutenant G S Johnston was an officer in the Essex Yeomanry, which was part of the 8th Cavalry Brigade in the 3rd Cavalry Division. The Regiment disembarked in France on the 1st December 1914.

On the 22nd April 1915 the Second Battle of Ypres began, when the Germans released Poison Gas and then attacked near the town of St Julien. They then continued to attack for the next four weeks, and it was during an attack on the 13th May that Geoffrey was killed while taking part in a counter attack on the Frezenberg Ridge.

Lt Johnston was described as being ever remembered as ‘the real right sort to give confidence to his men – always cheerful, never idle’.

Additional Information

Captain G V S Bowlby was killed in the same action as Geoffrey and is also commemorated on the Memorial.

Probate Record gives his address as Serlings, Gilston, Herts, with administration given to Reginald Eden Johnston.

Geoffrey has an elaborate memorial in St Mary's Cemetery, in Gilston which reads:

Acknowledgments

Gareth Hughes
Anthony Hopkins, Gareth Hughes