No.13563, Private, King William JOHNSON
Aged 21
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King William Johnson was born in Bottisham in 1895 (Newmarket Q401895 3B:506) son of John and Elizabeth JOHNSON (née SHIPP).
1901 census...Aged 5, he was at Town Street, Bottisham with his father John JOHNSON [53] farm labourer; his mother Elizabeth [55]; brothers Chapman John [28] stableman in racing stables, Jeremiah Willis [22] farm labourer, Robert Henry [12] and Charles William [11] and sister Adelaide [16]. All of them were born in Bottisham. 1911 census...Aged 15, a farm labourer, he was at Wells Cottages, Bottisham with his widower father, brother Jeremiah (farm labourer); widowed sister Sarah RAWLINSON [41] and her children Mirian RAWLINSON [13] born Gt Thurlow and William RAWLINSON [11] born Dalham. 3 of King's siblings had died, and one if his sister's 3 children. His mother had died in 1909. |
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He enlisted in Cambridge.
The 11th battalion were in the advance at Albert during the Battle of the Somme, the only battalion of the Suffolk actually engaged in fighting on the 1st July. According to King's gravestone, he was severely wounded during this battle. Without his Army records it has not been possible to find where he died, but of course he must have been invalided to a UK hospital. His death was registered in South Manchester,-(Chorlton Q3-1916 8c:719) where part of the workhouse became Nell Lane Military Hospital during the Great War. he was then brought home to Bottisham for burial.
photo: roll-of-honour.com click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
