Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Donald Hambleton Johnson "Bronco" was the eldest of three boys  born to Edie nee White and Jack Johnson on the 3rd July 1919, in the country town of Mungundi NSW. Don's father Jack was a butcher/ shearer and his mother a great horsewoman, who came from a family of great riders, the White family. Don's father Jack died when Don was a boy of just nine, and his mother Edie worked hard to provide for them, on a property called "Nilgie Station " Mungundi. Don and his brothers Vic and Noel had to grow up fast and work like men to survive.The brothers were used to hard times and going without, and became very self sufficient.

As a teenager Don went to work with his old grandfather Joe White. It was a tough life living in the bush in the north around Adavale. Joe White was a tough old man, a well known old tracker, trapper and brumby runner. Joe taught his grandson Don how to survive in the bush, and my father Don said it kept him in good stead for the time he spent fighting in New Guinea and the Middle East.

Later Don went on to work as a stockman on Cubbie Station Dirranbandi, which was owned by the A.P.Company. Don had lived through the great depression, where people walked from one town to another to try and find work. Don knew about hard times.

In 1940 aged 21 Don decided to enlist in the Army at Warwick Qld. After training Don joined the 2/25th Bn AIF and was sent  to the Middle East on the "Queen Mary."  Don fought in Syria and Palestine, but after the bombing of Pearl Harbour, troops were called home to Australia, and sent to New Guinea to defend Australia from the Japanese.

My father was a strong man, a bushman, he could shoot, fight, track and defend himself from a young age. There was no tougher character than my father Don Johnson, and I believe it saved him from the hell hole in New Guinea. He often said that the life skills taught to him by his mother and grandfather, came in handy while fighting the Japanese  in New Guinea. Don was used to working alone in the bush with limited food and water, and he was used to surviving on very little.

Don returned from New Guinea very ill with malaria, dysentery and black water fever. He spent months recuperating in hospital, before returning to the bush and resuming his job on " Cubbie" Station. My father met and fell in love with my mother Nell Johnson  nee Brummell while recuperating  in the Dirranbandi hospital. They married in 1944 and began their life together, living in a bush hut at "Three Holes" an out station on Cubbie.

In the 50s Don went on to become a drover in and around western Qld.. They would pack up us four kids, and on the road we would go in his old truck. My two brothers Don jnr and Mark would be on horseback from the age of four helping Dad. Mum would be getting us girls to collect firewood, water and set up camp. We all turned out okay, and mum and Dad had a long, happy marriage of 51years.

In the 60s Don worked for the Balonne Shire Council as Stock Route Inspector. It suited him well, as he would catch up with all his old drover mates as they passed through town. Don retired in the 1970s and bought a beautiful property on the St George/ Bollon Road called "Kullinjah". My father found peace in this special place. It was 1000 acres of red soil bush land and he enjoyed looking after his beloved  herd of hereford cattle.

Don passed  away in 1995 after a battle with lung cancer at Greenslopes Hospital Brisbane, surrounded by his family.

To us, he will always be a "legend."

My mother spoke of my father, saying that nothing could ever beat him, that Don could always overcome everything he put his mind to, and win.

Sadly the one thing he could not beat was cancer, though he gave it one hell of a fight.

May he rest in peace now.

Lest We Forget

Cecily Johnson (daughter)