Name
Frank Johnson
17 July 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/11/1916
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
15603
Royal Berkshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 11 D.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
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, We are not aware of any memorial in Ringshall
Pre War
Frank Johnson was born on 17 July 1894 in Ringshall, the son and youngest child of Thomas and Jane Johnson and baptised on 2 September 1894 at Little Gaddesden.
He attended Little Gaddesden school and on the 1901 Census the family were living at No. 18 Little Gaddesden, where his father was working as a Wheelwright. Sadly his mother died in 1902 and his father's whereabouts are unknown as on the 1911 Census he was a boarder at the house of John and Elizabeth Mead, at 17 Berkhamsted Common.
When he enlisted he gave his next of kin as his brother William.
Wartime Service
He enlisted at Wokingham, whilst resident in Berkhamsted and served with the 1st Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales' (Royal Berkshire Regiment) and first served overseas in France on 7th August 1915.
He was killed in action on the Somme on 13th November
1916. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial,
Somme, France.
Additional Information
His brother William, Private in the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was captured on the western front on 22 March 1918 and held prisoner in Germany until the end of the war. His brother Thomas, Private in the Royal Fusiliers, was also taken prisoner, having been reported missing at Ypres on 24 May 1915. The Red Cross reported he had suffered from gas poisoning and a fractured thigh due to a gunshot wound. He was held prisoner in Belgium, then released via a prisoner of war exchange in December 1915. He was permanently disabled as the broken femur had resulted in his leg being shortened by 3 inches, and he was discharged from the Army on 14 February 1916. His brother William received a war gratuity of £9 and his sister-in-law Elizabeth received his pay owing of £5 3s 5d at the request of his brother.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, dacorumheritage.org.uk, hemelatwar.org., littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk
