William Henry Johnson
Sergeant, 1st/5th Battalion. Sherwood Foresters
- Register No.
- 645 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Sergeant all Sergeants →
- Unit
- 1st/5th Battalion. Sherwood Foresters all Sherwood Foresters VCs →
- Date of action
- 3 October 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 14th December, 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Born
- 15th October 1890 at Worksop, Nottinghamshire
- Died
- 25th April 1945 at Arnold, Nottingham
- Memorial / grave
- not known
- Medal held by
- the Sherwood Forester's Museum, Nottingham
Digest of citation
On 3rd October 1918 at Ramicourt, France, when his platoon was held up by a nest of machine guns firing at very close range, Sergeant Johnson made his way forward under heavy fire and single-handed charged the post, bayoneting several of the gunners and capturing two of the guns. During the attack he was severely wounded by a bomb, but continued to lead his men forward. Shortly afterwards the line was again held up by machine guns and once more, single-handed, the sergeant attacked the post, bombing the garrison, putting the guns out of action and capturing the teams
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
JOHNSON, William Henry. (reg No. 645).
Sergeant. 1st/5th Battalion. Sherwood Foresters * London Gazetted on 14th December, 1918.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Sherwood Forester's Museum, Nottingham Castle, Nottingham.
Born 15th October 1890 at Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
Died on 25th April 1945 at Arnold, Nottingham.
Memorial not known.
Digest of Citation reads: On 3rd October 1918 at Ramicourt, France, when his platoon was held up by a nest of machine guns firing at very close range, Sergeant Johnson made his way forward under heavy fire and single-handed charged the post, bayoneting several of the gunners and capturing two of the guns. During the attack he was severely wounded by a bomb, but continued to lead his men forward. Shortly afterwards the line was again held up by machine guns and once more, single-handed, the sergeant attacked the post, bombing the garrison, putting the guns out of action and capturing the teams.
* Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment.
From Alf's photographs
Sgt. W.H. Johnson Medals (Nottingham Castle Museum) (gallery)
* Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment.
Castle, Nottingham.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: not known
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