Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Leading Aircraftman Ronald Charles Johnston (Service No:154655) served in the RAAF from 23 April 1945 to 27 May 1946. Enlisting at No 5 Recruiting Centre Aelaide a an Aircraftman I - mustered as Guard, he was promoted to LAC on 6 February 1946 and was attached to 1 Transport and Movements Office (TMO) at Discharge on 27 May 1946. On 4 January 1946, LAC Johnston volunteered to serve as a Guard in Japan (NAA).

Rusty was born in Cowell, SA, eldest of five children of Karl (Charlie) Arvid Johansson (b1894 in Kritianstad, Sweden) and Rosemary (Rose) Ethelreda Carruthers (b1896 in London, England). Charlie worked around the worls as a Fisherman out of Sweden, 'jumping ship' in Port Pirie in 1920 and using the alias 'Charlie Johnston'. Rose worked as a Housemaid and Waitress in London before immigrating with her younger brother William in 1922 - they arrived in 1922 on board the SS Benalla. Charlie was working as a Fisherman in Cowell when he and Rose married in Adelaide in 1923 - his Marriage Certificate is the first official use of the name Charles Arvid Johnston (in 1960 he legally changed his name to this). Charlie and Rose settled in Cowell where they raised their family and in 1934 Charlie obtained his Bookmaker's Licence and opened the first Betting Shop. By 1938 the family had moved to Whyalla, where Charlie worked as a Labourer and Winch Driver, and during WWII Rose worked in a Munitions Factory. In 1943 Charlie became an Australian Citizen, and in the late 1940s he and Rose moved to Adelaide.

Rusty worked as a Carpenter in Whyalla for BHP Coy Ltd and in Morgan for Murray Shipping Coy before enlisting in the RAAF. Following his Discharge, in 1954 Rusty married Barbara (Ann) Hannah Leamey (b1916 in Woodsdale, Tasmania) - Ann was working in Glenorchy, Tasmania as a Packer up until her wedding. Rusty and Ann settled in Adelaide, South Australia where they raised their family. Ann died in 2010 and Rusty in 2017.