Name
David Keith-Johnston
03 April 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/08/1915
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Flight Lieutenant
Royal Naval Air Service
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RAMSCAPPELLE ROAD MILITARY CEMETERY
VI. B. 27
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Bushey Town Memorial, St Peter’s Church Memorial, Bushey Heath, St Peter’s Church, Bushey Heath, memorial window
Pre War
Born in Willesden, London on 3 April 1895, David Keith-Johnston was the son of Robert and Jessy Banitga (possibly Bannitza) (née Macfie) Keith-Johnston. His parents were married on 14 June 1892.
At the 1901 Census, the family were living at 2 The Myrtles, Foots Cray, Kent. His father was employed as a journalist, working part of the time at home. There are four children; Elsie, David, Colin and Macfie. Robert and Jessy were 36 and 34 years old and the children were 7, 5, 4 and 2 respectively. Birthplaces for the family are given as Hornsey, London for Robert, Sweden for Jessy, Willesden, London for Elsie and David, and Lee in Kent for Colin and Macfie. Also present was Ada Partridge, their domestic cook.
By the time of the 1911 Census, David’s parents had moved to Sparrows Herne Lodge, Bushey and his father was now working as a Literary Agent’s Manager. Also present were their daughter Elsie Emily and Roberts’ father and sister, John Alexander Johnston and Isabel Keith-Johnston. Their ages are 77 and 25 years respectively. The family have a cook and now also a housemaid.
Neither David nor Macfie were living with their parents at the 1911 Census. David was a boarder at Felsted School at Felsted, Essex and Macfie was a boarder at Temple Grove School in Eastbourne.
Wartime Service
David Keith-Johnston served as a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Air Service. He obtained his Royal Aero Club Aviator’s Certificate on 1 October 1914, flying in a Maurice Farman Biplane. He was initially logged as ‘missing’ before being confirmed as killed near Ostende on 10 August 1915, whilst in action against a German aircraft.
He is remembered with honour at Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery in Belgium. Also, part of his tombstone made by the Germans who found him is mounted on the porch wall of the chapel at Felsted School, where he was a pupil. Its German inscription translates as “Honour to the Brave”.
David’s brother also died during the war and both brothers are commemorated on the Bushey Memorial and at St Peter’s Church, Bushey Heath. Members of the St Peter’s Church congregation also gave two groups of three windows in memory of their loved ones who died in the Great War. These are located in the Chapel of St George, which is itself a memorial.
The Imperial War Museums’ website gives the inscription for the first window as St Alban – “IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF DAVID KEITH JOHNSTON RNAS AGED 20 YEARS AND MARTIN K JOHNSTON RNAS AGED 17 YEARS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY 10TH AUGUST 1915 AND 12TH SEPTEMBER 1915.” [Note: It is assumed the inscription is incorrectly transcribed in the IWM website and is correctly given as Macfie on the actual memorial].
The National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) for 1919 includes and entry for David Keith-Johnston of Sparrows Herne Lodge, Bushey dated 5 September. Died 10 August 1915 off Ostend Belgium and left effects of £178 5s 11d to Robert Keith-Johnston cashier.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission record for David gives the address for his parents as Red May, Elms Lane, Sudbury, Middlesex. However, that for his brother, who died only a few weeks later, gives their address as Bushey Heath, Herts.
Additional Information
Information provided with the kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild, Andrew Palmer, Paul Johnson
