The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private H Johnson

Private Harold JOHNSON, 205552, 10th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action, Flanders France, 31st July 1917, age 20.

Born Leeds, Yorkshire, son of Sidney/Sydney and Mary Ann Johnson, of 31, Derby Terrace, Dewsbury Road, Leeds, Yorkshire.

1911 Census - Gards Street, Hunslet, Leeds, Yorkshire - Sydney Johnson, age 42, married, blacksmiths striker, boiler shop, worker, born Leeds, Yorkshire; Mary Ann Johnson, wife, age 40, married 20 years, 6 children, 4 still alive, born Leeds, Yorkshire; Emily Johnson, daughter, age 15, single, general servant, worker, born Leeds, Yorkshire; Harold Johnson, son, age 13, newsboy (salesman), Newspaper Office, worker, born Leeds, Yorkshire; Arthur Johnson, son, age 12, school, born Leeds, Yorkshire; Nellie Johnson, daughter, age 6, school, born Leeds, Yorkshire.

Enlisted Leeds, Yorkshire, age 19 years & 37 days, height 5ft 1¼ inches. Resided 31, Derby Terrace, Hunslet, Leeds, Yorkshire. Formerly hurrier.

Home 14th December 1914 to 30th January 1916; BEF 31st January 1916 to 2nd August 1916; Home 3rd August 1916 to 4th July 1917; BEF 5th July 1917 to 31st July 1917.

14th December 1914, enlisted & posted 17th Service Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, 2nd Leeds, Service No.23036; 31st January 1916, posted BEF; 30th July 1916, reported missing; 3rd August 1916, posted Depot; 15th November 1916, attached 6th Battalion, Territorial Reserve; 29th March 1917, transferred 26th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (TF), Service No.356614; 5th July 1917, posted BEF, Infantry Base Depot; 20th July 1917, transferred to 4th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment& posted 10th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment.

7th July 1919, date when Separation Allowance of 12/6 a week payable to mother will cease.

29th November 1919, Statement of Relatives - Father, Sidney Johnson, 31, Derby Terrace, Dewsbury Road, Leeds, Yorkshire; Mother, Mary Ann Johnson, 31, Derby Terrace, Dewsbury Road, Leeds, Yorkshire.

Commemorated at Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Panel 45 and 47, Belgium.

NOTE: Soldiers Died in the Great War shows date of death as 31st July 1917; CWGC web site shows 26th July 1917.

Observation - Harold Johnson was 13 in 1911; three years 8 months later he was 19; 31st July 1917 he was 20. Only 16 when enlisted?

This page was last updated on 01-Apr-2020.