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Stanley Herbert Thomas Johnson enlisted at Ballarat, Victoria, on 16 November 1915. He was working as a cook when aged 25, he decided to enlist in the A.I.F. He was given service number 4839 and allocated to the 15th Reinforcements, 5th Battalion A.I.F. He listed his wife Helen as his next of kin. According to his Attestation Paper, she was living in Richmond, Victoria. Stanley Herbert Thomas Johnson was a bit of a mystery. He stated on his enlistment papers that he was born in Melbourne. However, there is no record of a Stanley Herbert Thomas Johnson being born in Melbourne around 1890. However, a Stanley Herbert Thomas Johnson was born on 26 November 1890 in Launceston, Tasmania. This Stanley Johnson married Ellen Matilda Critch (1892-1961) in 1911 in South Melbourne.

Given that the Attestation Paper lists his wife's name as Helen, it would seem that they were not the same person based on this evidence. However, contained within the service records 4839 S.H. Johnson is a 'Registration, Alteration or Change of Next-of-Kin and Address' form. This document lists his wife's name as Mrs. E. M. Johnson of 5 Somerset St. Richmond. An additional form completed by Stanley Johnson's wife contained within the records is signed by Ellen M. Johnson. It would seem that 'Helen' was actually Ellen Matilda Johnson.

Stanley Johnson's service records portray a man who was constantly in trouble because of his behaviour. He would also be praised for his gallant and meritorious service. He was clearly a complicated individual. He embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Wiltshire as part of the 15th Reinforcements, 5th Battalion A.I.F. on 7 March 1916. Whilst aboard ship, he was found absent without leave when detailed for duty and given 72 hours of detention, forfeiting four days' pay.

Upon arrival in Egypt, he transferred to the Divisional Cyclist Corps and was Taken on Strength (T.O.S.) with 4th Division Cyclist Company on 19 April 1916.
On 17 May 1916, whilst still in Egypt, he was charged with disobeying a lawful command given by his superior officer and given a punishment of two extra guard duties. He embarked for Marseilles on 3 June 1916, arriving five days later.

On 28 June 1916, he was charged with conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline and forfeited two days' pay as punishment. He had urinated in the billet in which his unit was staying.

On 9 July 1916, the 4th Division Cyclist Company was absorbed into 1 ANZAC Corps Cyclist Battalion. Johnson's time with the unit was brief as he transferred to 4th Division Signals Company on 26 August 1916. This was the signals unit that provided communications services for 4th Australian Division. His rank was now that of Sapper. One month later, his lack of discipline got the better of him again. Whilst on active service, he was charged with striking his superior officer in the execution of his office. Urinating in the billet was one thing; striking a superior officer was another. For this offence, Stanley Johson was sentenced to six years of penal servitude. On 7 December 1916, he was admitted to Wandsworth Prison in England. However, after seven months, he was released from prison on 26 July 1917 and returned to France, rejoining the unit from jail on 9 September 1917. The sentence had been suspended from 1 July 1917. At the time, 4th Division Signals Company was located at Bomy, southeast of Hazebrouck.

On 21 March 1918, Operation Michael was launched by the Germans, who attacked from their positions along the Hindenburg Line. The offensive aimed to break through the lines of the British Third and Fifth Armies and reach the Channel Ports that supplied the British Expeditionary Force. Two days later, the 4th Australian Division received a move order to relocate from its location at Merris and move to Busnes. By 25 March, as the Germans made further progress in pushing back the British lines, the Division was ordered to Basseux and then further south to Baizeux, northeast of Amiens. During this period, 4th Division Signals Company was intensely engaged in maintaining and repairing communication lines with the infantry brigades. The unit set up and repaired telephone lines crucial for relaying orders and coordinating movements within the division. Facing enemy shelling, sappers worked hard to maintain communication lines and ensure the command structures between brigade and division stayed connected.

The German offensive continued into April 1918, and the demands on the 4th Division Signals Company continued. The 4th Australian Division had moved closer to Amiens, the key supply hub for the B.E.F. The company's work was pivotal in ensuring that orders could be transmitted effectively across different units. Frequent breaks in communication required significant repair efforts, with linesmen risking exposure to enemy fire as they maintained communication links disrupted by artillery fire and road traffic. On 8 April, the divisional commander congratulated all ranks on their excellent work, which he stated was 'one of the best things they have done in France.' Two days prior, the service record of Stanely Johnson noted that by order of the G.O.C. 4th Australian Division, Major General Ewan Sinclair-MacLagan, the unexpired portion of the sentence was remitted from 1 July 1917 for gallant and meritorious service. Stanley Johnson had somehow redeemed himself through his performance during the challenging days of the Michael offensive, so much so that his six years of penal servitude had been commuted.

On 4 September 1918, he was admitted to 13th Australian Field Ambulance with Epididymitis. A day later, he was moved to 4th Stationary Hospital and then to England, where he was admitted to hospital in Birmingham. He was granted a two-week furlough from the hospital before transferring to the No. 1 Convalescent Camp at Sutton Very on 10 October 1918. After further convalescence, he returned to France on 11 November 1918 and rejoined 4th Divisional Signal Company four days later. However, his return was short-lived, and he re-entered hospital on 29 November 1918, rejoining 4th Division Signal Company on 20 December 1918.

He left France for England on 14 March 1919. This process was the beginning of his repatriation to Australia. He boarded the ship China in Devonport on 1 May 1919 and sailed to Melbourne, where he disembarked on 8 June 1919.

He was discharged from the AIF in Melbourne on 23 July 1919.

In 1921, he lived at 40 Lyndhurst St, Richmond, whilst Ellen Joinson lived at 8 Little Lennox St.

He died in Melbourne in 1976, aged 86.