Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Peter Martin and Florecne Alexandria JOHNSON, Cosmopolitan Hotel, Cloncurry, Qld.

Enlisted in March, 1917, and embarked for England in June. Went through all the engagements in 1918 and returned to Australia on 18th November, 1919, after being billeted in Charleroi and Belgium, and was three months on non-military employment in England.

The sudden death on Thursday morning of Mr. Oscar St John Johnson, Commonwealth Employment Officer, will leave a tinge of regret in the heart of  every exserviceman in North Queensland who has had cause to seek departmental guidance after his discharge, and in the hearts of count less others  who were fortunate enough, without assistance, to slip into the old groove after their service was finished.
To ex-servvce personnel the name of Oscar Johnson has been a by-word since the German and the Jap cried enough in the late war. The late  Mr.  Johnson, who was 52, was a veteran of the first World War. When tha balloon soared again in the second world catastrophe, he rallied to the colours, but the years had caught up and kept him from service in combat areas and he was in tbe Townsville Area Office as a sergeant until seconded by the  Commonwealth to the post of Rehabilitation Officer at Townsvllle. Latterly, with the re-arrangemests of departmental set-up, his designation was  changed to Employment Officer, but he performed the same duties; always courteous, always understanding and, without exception, ready to disregard  the rule of red tape where his own influence could assist a discharged serviceman back into the open world.
Oscar Johnson had the uncanny Intuition of knowing his man and where personal initiative could help an individual who read well in his eyes, he acted  instantly, and rarely without the satisfaction of having done rightly. He could draw his mark with men; did his best to help the young Digger miss the obstacles that faced his own comrades of the first war.
Shortly after commencing duties in his office an Thursday morning, Oscar Johnson had a seisure and died quickly,— died in harness, in a post that,  through his own personal charm and ready under standing will be hard to fill.
The late Mr, Johnson was a native of Charters Towers, and was the member of a well known family in northern centres. Between the two world scraps  he had been for a time in the employment of Messrs Cummins and Campbell Ltd. at Mount Isa.