Name
Alexander Frederick Johnson
8 December 1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/09/1915
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
12320
Royal Engineers
'G' Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LITTLE GADDESDEN (SS. PETER AND PAUL) CHURCHYARD
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Little Gaddesden Village Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Little Gaddesden, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour (2018 Revision), Little Gaddesden
Pre War
Alexander Frederick Johnson was born on 8 December 1888 in Hythe, Kent, the son of Walter and Elizabeth (Bessie) Johnson. He was one of 10 children.
On the 1891 Census, the family were living in Hythe, where his father was listed as a Company Sergeant Major in the Royal Engineers. By the 1901 Census they had moved to Peacock Street, Milton, Gravesend, Kent at which time his father is listed as Clerk of Works, Royal Engineers.
Alexander had enlisted into the army by the 1911 Census and was serving in Malta as a Lance Corporal in the 28th Company of the Royal Engineers.
His parents and some of his siblings were living in Little Gaddesden, Herts in 1911.
Wartime Service
He enlisted into the Royal Engineers aged 14, on 28th January 1903, for a period of 12 years’ service, following in the footsteps of his father and two older brothers.
Between 15 January 1904 and 17 December 1906 Alexander was a Bugler in 27th Coy, Royal Engineers and was awarded a Good Conduct Badge and 1st class Certificate of Education. He also proved to be a skilled fitter when tested in the workshops of the Royal Engineers in Bermuda where the 27th Company were based.
Between 28 December 1906 and 27 December 1908 he served as a Sapper and was awarded his second Good Conduct Badge and was also trained as an Instrument Repairer.
On 27th June 1914, he re-engaged for the Royal Engineers at Malta to complete 21 years’ service. He was promoted to Corporal on 1st August 1914 and remained with the Expeditionary Force in Malta until 29th December 1914 but was by then was seriously ill.
A medical report gave the origin of his disability as October 1914 in Malta although he had been treated for gonorrhoea in June 1907 and syphilis in 1910 and 1914 and had been in hospital in Malta suffering from neurasthenia.
He returned to England in late December 1914 and was again admitted to hospital on 29 March 1915 in Chatham, suffering from mental confusion and the following June had epileptiform attacks. He had not been on active service.
He was discharged on 31st July 1915 as no longer physically fit for War Service and died on 6th September 1915. He was buried in Little Gaddesden churchyard three days later.
Additional Information
His grave in Little Gaddesden also has the names of his sister Isabel Kirke, aged 32, and her son Walter, aged 5 months who both in died 1916.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, dacorumheritage.org.uk, hemelatwar.org., littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk,
