JOHNSON, William Francis
| Service Number: | 2423 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 June 1915, Liverpool, NSW |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Auckland, New Zealand, 1896 |
| Home Town: | North Sydney, North Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | North Sydney Superior Public School |
| Occupation: | Apprentice Linotyper |
| Memorials: | Sydney Morning Herald and Sydney Mail Record of War Service |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2423, 19th Infantry Battalion, Liverpool, NSW | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 1915: | Involvement Private, 2423, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 5 Oct 1915: | Embarked Private, 2423, 19th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Eldest son of W F Johnson, 25 Dunbarton Street, North Sydney, New South Wales, William was born in Auckland New Zealand in 1896 and educated at the North Sydney Superior Public School. He joined the composing department of the Sydney Morning Herald as an apprentice in 1910.
He enlisted on June 25, 1915, going as a Private with the fifth reinforcements of the 19th Battalion. He spent three months in Egypt on the defence work in connection with the Suez Canal. Landing in France on March 25, 1916, he was in the thick of the fighting at Bois Grenier and at Pozieres, where he was wounded. He rejoined his battalion in the Ypres sector, and took part in the engagements at Ploegsteert, Messines and Amiens. He was gassed at Hangard Wood. On his recovery he joined up onece more, and was with his battalion at Mont St. Quentin, being on service till the signing of the Armistice.
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