Johnston, Bruce
4452 Private Bruce Johnston - 28th Battalion AIF
Bruce Johnston was born in Beaconsfield Fremantle on the 1st October 1897 to William and Mary Johnston, being one of ten siblings in the family.
They went to Greenbushes for a few years in the 1900's. In 1910 the family lived at 32 Quarry Street Fremantle (later renumbered to 19 Quarry) and Bruce's father was a foreman.
Bruce was a clerk prior to the Great War with the family at 33 Carnac Street Fremantle. He had been educate din Fremantle and also served in the 86A Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces.
On the 10th January 1916 Bruce enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording Bruce's physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 inches tall;
Weight - 122lbs;
Chest Measurement - 32-34 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Dark Brown.
After his successful enlistment, Bruce was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. He was initially assigned to No.48 Training Depot where he was taken through the basics of infantry work. On the 3rd February 1916 he was then transferred to the Signal School and would learn the new communication methods. On the 21st March 1916 Bruce was then posted to the 11th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion AIF.
This group would complete their training at Bumbury Camp. They would soon leave Fremantle Harbour aboard the transport ship HMAT Shropshire and made the journey to Egypt.
By the time Bruce arrived in Egypt, the 28th Battalion had already departed for France. He was therefore kept in the reinforcement camp till the 13th May 1916 when they departed for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 18th May 1916. Bruce was then disembarked and sent by train to Northern France and the coastal town of Etaples. This was the location of the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot Camp.
He would remain here for the next few months but on the 2nd August 1916 he was officially taken on strength of the 28th Battalion AIF. He had just missed the 28th Battalion's first stint in the line at Pozieres but served with them during their action at Mouquet Farm in mid August 1916.
The 28th battalion were then sent to Belgium where they went into the front line near Ypres. On the 7th September 1916 Bruce was evacuated to hospital ill, being admitted to No.14 General Hospital at Wimereux. He had a few days here as a patient but was then shipped to England.
Bruce was then admitted to a Military Hospital in Shorncliffe Kent. He had been diagnosed with valvular disease of the heart. Due to this Bruce would not be going back to his unit.
On the 4th November 1916 Bruce was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. After a week here Bruce was given a two week furlough and then on the 27th November 1916 he reported into No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth.
He would remain here for the next few months, while waiting to be assigned a berth on a transport ship home. On the 13th February 1917 Bruce boarded the transport ship Ulysses and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 12th April 1917. After being disembarked Bruce was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a medical check up.
He was discharged from the AIF on the 1st July 1917. Bruce was then granted a military pension of 40/- per fortnight though in January 1918 this was reduced to 30/- per fortnight.
The family had moved to Allen Street East Fremantle after Bruce had enlisted and he joined them there after arriving home.
Bruce married in 1922 to Maud Violet Norman and a daughter Jean was born in 1922.
In the 1920's & 1930's the family were living at Forest street Cottesloe and Bruce was working as a manager. By 1936 they had moved to Dalkeith and lived there through to the 1970's.
Bruce died on the 9th July 1981 aged 83. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.