Photo: Dorothy Hall
Bleuet Farm Cemetery, West Vlaanderen
In Duncombe Cemetery Ferryhill Station is a headstone which reads:-
In loving memory of
Margaret beloved wife of
George Johnson
Of Ferryhill Station
Who died October 25th 1920
Aged 59 years
Also Pte. Wm. Johnson R.A.M.C.
Who was Killed in Action
August 6th 1917 aged 27 years
Also George Johnson
The dearly beloved husband
And father of the above
Who died June 11th 1926
Aged 63 years
Thy will be done
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
William Johnson was born 1890 in Spennymoor, County Durham, the eldest son and one of 7 surviving children, (3 deceased), 5 boys and 2 girls, born to George Johnson of Sherburn Hill (b.1861) and his wife Margaret (b.1862) a native of Ferryhill County Durham. At the time of William’s birth, the family was living at 17 Dundas Street, Spennymoor and as the family grew, by 1901, they had moved to 20 Thomas Street, Spennymoor. At the age of 21 and still single, William worked as a hewer along with his father and younger brother, George, a putter, at the Carlton Iron Company. They were now living at 3, Mainsforth Back Row, Ferryhill. April 15th 1911 William married Jane Burton a native of Pallion, Sunderland, at the Parish Church in Ferryhill, Jane gave birth to their daughter, named Lily, August 12th 1912.
January 16th 1915 William enlisted in Ferryhill and was assigned as Private 19686 to the Yorkshire Regiment however March 24th he was discharged under King’s Regulations 392 (iii), “not being likely to become an efficient soldier”, due to a health issue as he had a left inguinal hernia. Less than five months later was called up again as in the interim he had undergone an operation and had been working as a hewer, they therefore considered him fit to serve. William was enlisted as Private 100660 in the Royal Army Medical Corp, August 3rd 1915 in Newcastle upon Tyne and joined the 9th Field Ambulance in Colchester. He underwent training to become qualified in nursing, remaining in England until September 23rd 1916 when orders were received to embark at Southampton arriving in Rouen two days later. The 9th Field Ambulance was part of the British Expeditionary Force attached to the Guards Division which unusually was newly formed in France from various units withdrawn from others and remained on the Western Front. The Field Ambulance of the R. A. M. C. were continually in the thick of it and never more than 600 yards behind the front line. In his capacity William would have seen action during the final stages of the Battles of the Somme in 1916 and in 1917 the Third Battles of Ypres. Private 100660 William Johnson R. A. M. C. was killed in action August 6th 1917 at the age of 27 years. He is interred at Bleuet Farm Cemetery, West - Vlaanderen, 3 kilometres from Ypres in Belgium, grave 1. B. 37.
His widow Jane paid 11 shillings and 8 pence to have an inscription added to his gravestone which reads, “Ever Remembered by His Loving Wife And Daughter”.
His personal effects were returned to Jane, December 28th 1917, to the address of 1, Oswald Terrace, Chilton Buildings and consisted of; 1 disc, letters, purse, watch and chain, two pipe lighters, 1 brush, 1 coin. February 18th 1918 she was awarded a pension of 18 shillings and 9 pence and also received his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
William Johnson is remembered at Chilton on C107.01, C107.04 and C107.12
