Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Served twice in the South African (Boer) War. He first served as a Private S.N. 62 with the 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry. He is incorrectly recorded under the surname of Johnston on the AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 454. He was correctly recorded as Johnson in the Boer War Service Paybooks for the 1st QMI, which also contains a note that he is "now No. 273 5th Contingent", and on his Boer War Dossier for that service. Second service was as a Sergeant S.N. 273 with the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen.

When he first enlisted in 1899 in the 1st QMI it was noted in The Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton), 21 Oct 1899, that he was part of the Rockhampton Detachment of the Transvaal Contingent; he was a cattle drover; and had previously served 9 months in 'B' Company of the Qld Defence Force.

His details were published with the full rank and file of the 1st QMI in The Brisbane Courier, 18 Nov 1899, where he noted he was single and his N.O.K. was Mrs. G. Johnson, Laceby, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England. He was invalided with Enteric Fever in South Africa and returned to Australia aboard the Medic arriving Brisbane 15 Sep 1900, discharged 22 Sep 1900.

He then re-enlisted in 1901 in the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen and his photograph and details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 16 Mar 1901, where he noted his N.O.K. was Mrs. G. Johnson, Lincolnshire, England.

Harold Johnson was born about 1873 in England and, according to his death registration with BDM Qld, he was the son of George Johnson and Annie Johnson (nee Bowles).

When he passed in Jan 1909 at Mount Morgan an Obituary was published in The Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton), 28 Jan 1909. It noted he had been a resident of Mount Morgan for the past 20 years when he died suddenly at home at the age of 36 years. At the time he had been working as an engine driver at the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company and was married with 3 young children. His previous service in the Boer War with the 1st and 5th Queensland Contingents was noted and members of those contingents were present at his funeral.

(Sources- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 454 and 499; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier, 1st service; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 1st QMI, B Company, p. 47; Qld State Archives- Boer war Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 2 p. 120; various newspaper articles- see links).