JOHNSON, Alfred Robert
| Service Number: | 389 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 August 1914, An original member of C Company 12th Bn. |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 52nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Flowerdale, Tasmania, Australia, 20 September 1892 |
| Home Town: | Wynyard, Waratah/Wynyard, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Flowerdale State School, Tasmania, Australia |
| Occupation: | Engine driver |
| Died: | Killed in action, Mouquet Farm, France, 4 September 1916, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 389, 12th Infantry Battalion, An original member of C Company 12th Bn. | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 389, 12th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Hobart embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 389, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Hobart | |
| 4 Sep 1916: | Involvement Sergeant, 389, 52nd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 389 awm_unit: 52nd Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1916-09-04 |
Mouquet Farm Visit
My wife and I were at the Mouquet Farm Memorial on the 4/9/2016 100 years to the day that "Wick" was killed. We placed some soil from his brother's grave at Flowerdale in Tasmania at the memorial along with a photo of the 1914 Flowerdale Football Team. A copy of that photo is also on the wall in the Tommy Cafe in Pozieres.
We also collected some soil from Mouquet Farm as we wandered around the farm returning it to Tasmania to finally sit in a tribute to Wick placed on his brother Jim's grave at Flowerdale as "Wick" has no known grave.
Jim was my grandfather whom I never met
Shane Johnson (Great nephew)
Submitted 17 March 2026 by Shane Johnson
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Alfred Robert Johnson was the son of Alexander and Mary Johnson of Wynyard, Tasmania. His father had passed away during 1909 when he about 16 years of age. He was known as "Wick" to his his seven brothers and sisters.
He enlisted in the original 12th Battalion during August 1914. He served on Gallipoli until he was evacuated with enteric. He transferred to the 52nd Battalion in early 1916 and was promoted to Sergeant. He was reported as missing during the heavy fighting at Mouquet Farm on 3 September 1916. As a sergeant, several eye witnesses stated that they saw his body in the German lines on that day.
His younger brother, 7256 Pte. Amos Montrose Johnson 10th Battalion AIF, was badly wounded and captured by the Germans in early 1918. Amos was repatriated to England during May 1918, having had his right leg amputated below the knee.
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