Dudley Graham Johnson
Lieutenant Colonel, South Wales Borderers. Commanding 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment
- Register No.
- 642 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant Colonel (register: Acting Lieutenant Colonel) all Lieutenant-Colonels →
- Unit
- South Wales Borderers. Commanding 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment all Royal Sussex Regiment VCs →
- Date of action
- 4 November 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 6th January, 1919 on this day → all of 1919 →
- Born
- 30th February 1884 at Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire
- Died
- the 21st December, 1975 at Fleet, Hampshire
- Memorial / grave
- the church and churchyard at Church Crookham, Hampshire and in Havard Chapel, Brecon Cathedral, Brecon, Wales. Also a tribute in the form of the General Johnson Homes, Guildford, Surrey
Digest of citation
On 4th November, 1918 at Sambre Canal, France the 2nd Infantry Brigade, to which the second Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment formed part, was ordered to cross by the locks south of Catillon. The position was strong and the assaulting and bridging parties were halted on arrival at the waterway 100 yards from the Canal by a heavy barrage. At this point Lieutenant Colonel Johnson arrived and personally led an assault but heavy fire again broke up the attack. He reorganised the assaulting and bridging parties and this time effected a crossing but the success of this dangerous operation was entirely due to his splendid leadership
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
JOHNSON, Dudley Graham. (reg No. 642).
Lieutenant Colonel. South Wales Borderers. Commanding 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment.
London Gazetted on 6th January, 1919.
Born on 30th February 1884 at Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire.
Died on the 21st December, 1975 at Fleet, Hampshire.
Memorials in the church and churchyard at Church Crookham, Hampshire and in Havard Chapel, Brecon Cathedral, Brecon, Wales. Also a tribute in the form of the General Johnson Homes, Guildford, Surrey.
Digestion of Citation reads: On 4th November, 1918 at Sambre Canal, France the 2nd Infantry Brigade, to which the second Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment formed part, was ordered to cross by the locks south of Catillon. The position was strong and the assaulting and bridging parties were halted on arrival at the waterway 100 yards from the Canal by a heavy barrage. At this point Lieutenant Colonel Johnson arrived and personally led an assault but heavy fire again broke up the attack. He reorganised the assaulting and bridging parties and this time effected a crossing but the success of this dangerous operation was entirely due to his splendid leadership..
Additional information:. Major-General Johnson was a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He held the Distinguished Service Order and Bar (DSO) and the Military Cross (MC). From 1928-32 he commanded the 2nd Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment; Commanding the 12th (Secunderabad) Infantry Brigade from 1933-36; from 1938-1940 he commanded the Fourth Division, which followed by becoming a the General Officer Commanding Aldershot in 1940. He became the Colonel of the South Wales Borderers 1944-49.
Additional information
Major-General Johnson was a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He held the Distinguished Service Order and Bar (DSO) and the Military Cross (MC). From 1928-32 he commanded the 2nd Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment; Commanding the 12th (Secunderabad) Infantry Brigade from 1933-36; from 1938-1940 he commanded the Fourth Division, which followed by becoming a the General Officer Commanding Aldershot in 1940. He became the Colonel of the South Wales Borderers 1944-49.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: the church and churchyard at Church Crookham, Hampshire and in Havard Chapel, Brecon Cathedral, Brecon, Wales. Also a tribute in the form of the General Johnson Homes, Guildford, Surrey
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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