Photo: Illustrated Chronicle
East Yorkshire Regiment
Medal Card
Derek Johnstone has provided the following:
John Johnson was born at Bedlington, Northumberland about 1880 to parents George Johnson, a coal miner from Newsham, and Jane Johnson from Broomhill.
In 1891, John aged 11, was living at West Sleekburn, Northumberland.
The census in 1901 shows John was 21, single and living at 41, North Row, West Sleekburn in the family house with seven siblings. In 1903, John married Henrietta Raey.
In the 1911 Census John and his family were living in the house of William Tubby as boarders at Choppington Colliery, Northumberland with their children Mathew, 7, and George, 5. John was working as a hewer in the coal mines. The census record shows there were 8 people living in 2 rooms.
Military records for John Johnson confirm he enlisted at Bedlington and was formally 12696 in the Northumberland Fusiliers. John arrived in France on 9/9/1915 and was awarded the Military Medal. The records also show he had three children when he died these were Mathew, George and Ben.
John Johnson is remembered in Choppington on C36.04
