The AIF Project

Robert William JOHNSON

Regimental number3367
Date of birth1885
Place of birthAdelaide, South Australia
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationStationer
Address59 Pilgrim Streets, Footscray, Victoria
Marital statusMarried
Age at embarkation29
Height5' 7"
Weight154 lbs
Next of kinWife
Enlistment date13 July 1915
Place of enlistmentBroadmeadows, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name8th Battalion, 11th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/25/4
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A71 Nestor on 11 October 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll59th Battalion
Other details from Roll of Honour CircularSon of James W and Mary (nee Wainwright) Johnson. Married Matilda (nee Page) and had a son, Robert, who died in 1912 aged 12 months. Matilda died on 31 March 1915.
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 15), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
168
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Allotted to and proceeded to 59th from 2nd Training Bn, Tel el Kebir, 26 February 1916; taken on strength 59th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 26 February 1916, and reverted to the ranks.

Promoted Corporal, 4 March 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Posted missing, 19 July 1916.

Effects in German hands, 16 September 1916, now to be reported as killed in action on 19 July 1916.

Handwritten note on bottom of B.103, 'presumed buried in No Man's Land at approx 5J90.43 to 5K.0.251 Sheet Hazebrouck 5A'.

Translation of German report, 29 October 1919, 'Identification Disc handed over by the Intelligence Officer with the 6th Army Headquarters Staff through M.A. (Central Office for deceased Estates), 2/10/16 ... Australian Soldier R.W. Johnson, Corporal, 59th Battalion, Identification Disc 3367, fell in the neighbourhood of Fromelles on 19/7/16.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsWife's address subsequently 3 Cowper Street, Footscray, Victoria; then 522 Sydney Road, Brunswick, Victoria; then, 1 Chetwynd Street, North Melbourne, Victoria
SourcesNAA: B2455, JOHNSON Robert William
Red Cross file 1450306

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