In Ovillers Military Cemetery, Somme, France, is the Commonwealth War Grave of 20/1071 Private Francis (Frank) Johnson, serving with the 20th (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, who died 01/07/1916.

The son of Richard and Catherine Johnson, of Newcastle upon Tyne and the husband of Isabella Johnson, of Routledge’s Buildings, Barrington, Bedlington, Northumberland.

Carole Fife has provided the following:-
Francis Johnson was born in Barrington in 1874 to Richard and Catherine Johnson. In the 1881 census he was living with his grandparents in Routledge’s Buildings, Barrington, and was again with them in 1911 when they had moved to Bedlington Station. Francis was a miner, and in 1894 he married Isabella Cowen from Hetton le Hole. The family lived again in Routledge’s Buildings and they had two children, William (1896) and William (1898). Francis enlisted in the 1st Tyneside Scottish (20th N.F.) and was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Morpeth Herald 20/04/1917 carries a brief obituary:
ROLL OF HONOUR
JOHNSON.- Previously reported missing, now reported killed, July 1st, 1916, Private Frank Johnson, N.F., dearly beloved husband of Isabella Johnson, of Routledge’s Buildings, Barrington, and eldest son of Catherine and the late Richardson Johnson, Mill Lane, Newcastle, and grandson of the late John and Jane Johnson, Routledge’s Buildings, Barrington.- Deeply mourned by his sorrowing wife, son William (now in France), and his daughter Jean.

Morpeth Herald 27/04/1917 carries the following:
Pte. F. Johnstone [sic], Barrington, reported as missing, is now reported killed.

Francis Johnson is remembered at Bedlington on B15.06,   at Bedlington Station on B163.04  and at Choppington on C36.01 as Johnstone F.