Major GF Johnston, DSO, MC

[gdawson]

Major GF Johnston was my Grandfather's commanding officer in 1917 through demobilization.

Can anyone tell me any information about him, such as where he lived, how he got the DSO and MC, and particularly if he may have kept a diary or written memoirs?

Many thanks,

Greg

[Philip Wilson]

His entry in the Part 2 of The Distinguished Service Order on page 279 reads

JOHNSTON, G.F.(DSO London Gazette 1.1.19 ) T/Capt (A/Major) 180th Tunnelling Co; R.E; MC.

Philip

[sotonmate]

Greg

THe War Diary for 180TC RE is at Kew under WO95/488 and runs from Aug 1915 to May 1919.

I have enjoyed the three or four TC Diaries that I have delved in,unfortunately this one (are any ?)is not digital as yet so a visit to Kew is called for.

The is probably asome detail about this unti in the book "Beneath Flanders Fields" about these companies.

Sotonmate

[gdawson]

Thanks Sotonmate.

I have the war diary for 180th Coy, it unfortunately doesn't provide much detail from the personnel perspective. Equally unfortunate is that none of the great Tunnelling books available really refer to 180th very much at all.

Best regards,

Greg

[gdawson]

Thanks Philip.

[Verrico2009]

There's a card for a man with these initials with an MC (temp lt. temp capt) gazetted for an MID 18.5.17. Then as T/Capt (A/Maj) he's gazetted again 23.12.18. Assuming same man as it mentions the DSO and MC - 180 Tun Coy.

I suspect it's him - looking at this MIC I believe he rose through the ranks: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...Edoc_Id=3283045 (and I can't find another). Is that unusual? I would think he was a very interesting man.

[gdawson]

Thanks, interesting indeed!

[gdawson]

Thanks, interesting indeed!

I checked on the Gazette for when this man was named acting Major, and found he was a Temp Lieutenant, acting Captain named acting Major - which I thought to be highly unusual, until I checked the same paragraph and found two other men in the exact same situation (W.L. Shaw and M.H.Wilkinson) and one other (H.S. Semple) who was a Lieutenant, acting Captain named acting Major. This was June 1917 - clearly a time when RE officers were in short supply.