Johnson, William Lewis
29535 Driver William Lewis Johnson - 8th Field Artillery Brigade
Born in 1890 in Glanville South Australia to Frederick and Mary Johnson. He was one of four siblings, with Frederick 1886, Mabel 1896 and Mary 1898.
The family moved to WA in the 1900's and set up residence in Fremantle. His Mother died 1911 and Father 1914.
William married Margaret Maud "Peggie" Doolin pre Great War in 1912 and a son Thomas was born in 1912. The family lived at 133 South Terrace (later renumbered to 87 South Tce) Fremantle and William was working as a lumper.
On the 15th March 1916 William enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in Fremantle. He stated that he had previously served for five years in the Navy. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording William's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 10 inches;
Weight - 115lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-37 inches;
Complexion - Ruddy;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Dark;
Distinctive Marks - Tattoos of a Woman on both arms.
After his successful enlistment, William was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where hew as assigned to No.57 Training Depot. He spent three weeks being taken through the basics of infantry work and then on the 17th April 1916 he was assigned to the 20th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF. He had two weeks training with this group and was then transferred to the artillery reinforcements.
As the artillery were being trained in Victoria, William was sent east to complete his training. He went into Maribyrnong Camp and would train there for the next few months. He was given the rank of Driver and was assigned to the reinforcements to the Howitzer Batteries. On the 2nd October 1916 William and his group boarded the transport ship Aeneas in Port Melbourne and set sail for England, arriving at Plymouth on the 19th November 1916.
On being disembarked, William was sent to the Royal British Artillery Training camp at Larkhill on the Salisbury Plains. He spent two months here and was sent to France on the 9th January 1917. William had a few weeks at the Artillery Base Depot Camp at Etaples and on the 5th February 1917 he was taken on strength of the 7th Field Artillery Brigade.
This unit was then based in Armentieres in Northern France. He spent a few weeks with them and was then transferred to the 3rd Australian Division Ammunition Column. Each Division had an Ammunition Column to keep supplying ammunition up to the guns. It was a vital role to keep the Field Artillery Batteries supplied.
William served with this unit through the Messines action in Belgium through June to August 1917. The 3rd Australian Division artillery batteries were then sent to the Ypres front in Belgium. As much of the land was overlooked by the Germans, the artillery batteries would suffer many casualties. William was thus sent to the 8th Field Artillery Brigade on the 7th September 1917.
He began service with this unit but just over a month later on the 12th October 1917 William was wounded. Four men of his Battery were killed and 10 others were wounded. William had been hit by shrapnel in the face and jaw. He was initially taken to the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance where first treatment was given. He was then sent to the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. William was then sent to No.8 Red Cross Hospital at Le Touquet.
Fortunately the wounds were not severe and William rejoined the 8th Field Artillery Brigade on the 6th November 1917. The unit remained near Ypres for the remainder of the month. From December 1917 they then moved south east of Ypres, where they helped cover the front from Hollebeke to Messines.
On the 14th January 1918 William was sent to the 11th Field Ambulance with a bruised hand, though he only had two weeks rest and was soon back with his unit in Belgium. He served for the next five weeks and then on the 11th March 1918 was given a two week furlough to England.
As a result of the German offensive of 21st March 1918 which broke through the British line further south in France, the Australians were sent south to help stop this breakthrough. When they arrived on the Somme, the 3rd Australian Division were stretched from Hangard Wood near Villers-Bretonneux to north of the Somme River at Sailly Laurette and Sailly-le-Sec.
William had returned from leave and found that his unit were no longer in Belgium and then had a hard time in trying to locate them, finally finding them on the 13th April 1918. They were just east of Bonnay near the Somme River. On the 16th April 1918, three days after rejoining his unit William was hit in the chest and arm by shrapnel.
He was initially treated at the 11th Field Ambulance and was then sent to the 20th Casualty Clearing Station. After more medical work here, William was put on an ambulance train and sent to the 3rd Australian General Hospital in Abbeville. He spent just over two weeks here and on the 2nd May 1918 was transferred to England.
On arrival in England, William was sent to the Norfolk War Hospital in Norwich. William would spent the next three and a half months in Norfolk being operated on and on recovery. On the 15th August 1918 he was then transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. He had a further week here and as he was now well enough, William was granted a two week furlough.
After he reported back from leave two days late William was sent to No.4 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott. For reporting late, William was just admonished by the Base Commanding officer though he also had to forfeit two days pay.
William would be at No.4 Command Depot Camp for the next two months and was still here when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918. He may have over celebrated the Armistice as a week later he was sent to the 1st Australian Dermatological hospital with venereal disease. Fortunately he was not there long and returned to the AIF camp at Parkhouse on the 23rd November 1918. A week later William was transferred to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny.
On the 22nd December 1918 William boarded the transport ship Bakara and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 5th February 1919. After being disembarked William was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle. As he had been wounded twice in the war there was some details and checks to go through. William was then discharged from the AIF on the 16th April 1919.
William then returned home to Peggie at 133 South Terrace Fremantle and resumed his employment as a Lumper.
By 1925 the family had moved to 32 Old Cemetery Road Fremantle (later renamed to Brennan Street) They then moved to 8 Little Howard St before heading to 12 Howard Street a few years later.
In 1928 the Mirror newspaper reported on an accident involving William at Fremantle Harbour;
Fortunately William was not badly hurt and was soon back at work.
William died on the 31st August 1953 aged 63. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Roman Catholic plot MON C3 0194.