JOHNSON, William Thornton
| Service Number: | 5358 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 25th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 6 June 1892 |
| Home Town: | Toowong, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | State School, Petrie, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Commercial Traveller |
| Died: | Fractured spine (result of G.S.W) & Broncho Pneumonia, Bruce Cole Auxiliary Hospital, Whitehall, Bristol, England, 8 November 1918, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
Arnos Vale Cemetery and Crematorium, Bristol, England His name is remembered on the CWGC Screen Wall & he has a flat Memorial Stone. Cemetery/Memorial reference Screen Wall 7. 714. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 8 Aug 1916: | Involvement Private, 5358, 25th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Itonus embarkation_ship_number: A50 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Aug 1916: | Embarked Private, 5358, 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Itonus, Brisbane | |
| 8 Nov 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 5358, 25th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5358 awm_unit: 25 Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-11-08 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 8th November..... William Thornton Johnson was born in Brisbane, Queensland in 1892.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 22nd November, 1915 as a 23 year old Commercial Traveller from Brisbane, Queensland.
William Thornton Johnson embarked from Brisbane, Queensland on HMAT Itonus (A50) on 8th August, 1916 with the 7th Infantry Brigade, 25th Infantry Battalion, 14th Reinforcements. He was appointed as V.O. Sergeant (Voyage only) & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 18th October, 1916. He reverted to rank of Private on 19th October, 1916.
Private Johnson was marched in to 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone, Wiltshire from Hurdcott Camp, Wiltshire on 1st November, 1916. He was appointed E.D.P. (extra duty Pay) Corporal on 1st November, 1916 then Acting Sergeant with E.D.P. (extra duty Pay) from 18th November, 1916.
Acting Sergeant Johnson was detached to Training Cadre on 1st December, 1916 & was to be T/ Sergeant from that date. He was attached to 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone.
T/Sergeant Johnson proceeded overseas to France via Southampton on 19th June, 1917 from 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone, Wiltshire & reverted to rank of Corporal.
Corporal Johnson joined 25th Battalion at the Front in France on 25th June, 1917.
Corporal William Thornton Johnson was wounded in action on 4th October, 1917. He was invalided to England & admitted to V.A.D. Hospital at Cheltenham (affiliated with 2nd Southern General Hospital) on 3rd November, 1917 with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to Head & left shoulder (slight).
The Medical Case Sheet for Corporal William Thornton Johnson records the following information: “GSW Head & left shoulder. Condition of admission – Incontinence bladder & bowel…. Bullet to ____ ___ scapula & spine. Bullet removed. Xray shows fract 6th & 7th Dorsal. Operation – Removal of bullet. Progress – Very slow. Transfer – 22.5.18 2nd S.G. Hosp, Bristol.”
Corporal William Thornton Johnson was transferred to 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol on 22nd May, 1918 from “Naunton, Cheltenham”. The Hospital Admission Form recorded “Partial paraplegia…” He was transferred to Bruce Cole Hospital (Auxiliary to Beaufort War Hospital), Bristol, England on 15th October, 1918.
Corporal William Thornton Johnson died at 9.30 am on 8th November, 1918 at Bruce Cole Auxiliary Hospital, Whitehall, Bristol, England from Fractured spine (result of G.S.W) & Broncho Pneumonia.
The Hospital Admissions Form recorded the following : “Died of pneumonia following influenza.”
He was buried in Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England. His name is remembered on the CWGC Screen Wall & he has a flat Memorial Stone.
Corporal William Thornton Johnson is one of 22 Australian WW1 War Graves located in Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol, England.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/arnos-vale.html (ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com)
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