No.22434, Private, Herbert JOHNSON
Aged 39
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not a satisfactory identification so far Herbert William Johnson was born in 1876 in Upton, Lincolnshire, (Gainsborough Q2-1876 7A:761 ) son of George and Fanny JOHNSON (née OXLEY) BUT, "Soldiers Died" has this soldier born in Sutton, Ely. Not uncommon for "Soldiers Died" to err slightly, they only operated with what they were given, and his widow was in Sutton at the end of the war. 1881 census...Aged 5, he was at "The Grave Maurice", 18 St Leonard's Road, Bromley, London with his father George JOHNSON[36] licensed victualler born Kexby, Lincs; his mother Fanny Theresa [26] born Spring Thorpe, Lincs; brother Benjamin? Sydney [3] born Upton, Lincs; sister Florence Jane [1] born Bromley. Apparently his mother died in Lincolnshire in 1888 1891 census...Aged 15, he was at Cliff House, Sleaford Road, Lincoln, a servant for auctioneer James Wood Shepherd. His father was at the Bell Inn, Ingatestone, Essex with new wife Sarah Ann [35] born Kexby, Lincs, her son Ernest Edward WHEELDON [14] born Gainsborough; Herbert's sisters Florence Jane and Alice W {9] born Upton. His father had married Sarah Ann WHEELDON in Hackney 1890 1901 census...Not yet found in this census. His father died and his widowed stepmother was at 19 Naylor Road, Camberwell with his brother in law Ernest (died in Egypt in 1916); his sister Winifred Anne, half brothers John Henry [5]and James William [3] both born Esher Whilst living at 8 Beckett Street, Camberwell he married to Flora COX (b.10-10-1878) on 29th June 1902 in St Giles, Camberwell, who went on to marry Fred Litchfield in 1918, living at The Row, Sutton, Ely. 1911 census...Aged 35, a window cleaner, he was at 6 Kettering Street, Streatham, London with his wife of 8 years, Flora [31] born Covney, Cambs and their son Benjamin George [7] born Norwood on 12-6-1903. A possible explanation for Herbert being named on the Soham memorial may be if the family moved to Soham during the war. His widow married a bricklayer, Fred Litchfield in 1918. Her address on the pension card was at The Row, Sutton. |
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Enlisted in Bury St Edmunds.
The 7th Suffolk were in the front line,prepared to attack BAYONET TRENCH and LUISENHOFF FARM, it was a quiet morning and by 5am the battalion was lying in shell holes in front, ready. Major Henty went to forward HQ in GRASS STREET to get reports at 10am. At 2 pm the attack started, the German barrage was very intense. The battalion advanced in four waves, each company with a platoon front. No definite report was made until 6 pm when the battalion was back in front line, having failed to reach its objective. 'B' and 'D' Coys had reached their objective but were driven back by superior numbers. 1st Essex on the right gained their objective but were unable to hold it, finally they managed keep a part of it.The Battalion withdrew to Reserve in FLERS TRENCH. Lt Col Murphy, in his "History of the Suffolk Regiment" records that over 500 men became casualties, due in part to uncut wire and to an ineffective barrage. One officer had been buried twice before zero hour and all the officers that went over the top were casualties. CWGC puts the dead at 104.
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