Name
Percy William George Johnson
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
29/07/1918
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/63592
The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd/4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
SOISSONS MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Bushey Town Memorial, St James’ Church Memorial, Bushey
Pre War
Baptised on 28 May 1899 at Emanuel Church, Islington, Percy William George Johnson was the son of George and Kate (née Braybrook) Johnson of 50 Grafton Road, Islington.
His parents married 11 December 1898 at Emanuel Church, Islington, London. George died 1915 in Bushey, Herts, aged 42, and was buried 29 March at St James’, Bushey; Kate died 20 July 1942 in Watford aged 68, and was buried 23 July, also at St James.
His father was employed as a porter. His parents were married on 11 December 1898 at Emanuel Church, Islington, London.
At the 1901 Census, the family was still living at 50 Grafton Road and his father was now working as a bus conductor. Percy is now two years old and the ages of George and Kate are 27 and 26 respectively. The birthplace for Percy is given as Holloway, London and that for both parents is Pentlow in Essex.
At the 1911 Census, the family had moved to 39 Roden Street, Holloway. Percy was now 12 years old and had a 3-year-old sister called Marjorie, She had also been born in Holloway. His father was now employed as a carman and he and Kate are 37 and 35 years old respectively.
Soon after this, the family moved to Hertfordshire and settled at 23 Greatham Road, Bushey.
George subsequently died in 1915, aged 42, and was buried on 29 March at St James’ Church, Bushey.
Recorded as born in Holloway, Middlesex and was living in Watford (we believe more accurately Bushey) when he enlisted in Watford.
Wartime Service
Percy enlisted in Watford as Private G/63592 with the Royal West Surrey Regiment. He served in France and Flanders and was recorded as missing whilst serving on 29 July 1918, aged 19.
Percy is remembered with honour at the Soissons Memorial on the left bank of the River Aisne, about 100 miles from Paris. He is also commemorated on the Bushey Memorial, at St James’s Parish Church and at St Paul’s Church, Bushey.
His pension record card gives his mother Kate Johnson, of 23 Greatham Road, Bushey Hall Road, Watford, as his dependant and awards a pension of 11/- with effect from 22/07/19.
Kate died, aged 68, on 20 July 1942 and, like George, was buried at St James Church on 23 July.
Additional Information
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Andrew Palmer, Paul Johnson
