Military History

Embarked Fremantle per HMAT ‘Surada’ A 52 for England 26.9.1916.
Roll Rank Private.
Roll Unit 7th Infantry Brigade, 28th Infantry Battalion,15th Reinforcements.
Johnson disembarked at Plymouth 20.11.1916. He marched in to 7th Training Bn. After a period of intensive training, he proceeded overseas to France from Folkestone per ‘Princess Clementine’ 21.12.1916. He joined his unit- 28th Bn. in France 17.1.1917. Johnson served as Company Runner. He was listed as ‘missing‘ on the 26.3.1917. (Reported in WAN 21.4.1917)
The Court of Enquiry recorded him as KIA 26.3.1917. His body was not recovered. Red Cross files detail he was killed at Lagnicourt, France, at the crossroads near the village and adjacent to the grave of Lieut. Cook. The No. 14 Platoon suffered severely when a high explosive shell landed in their midst in sunken road killing 7 and wounding 16.(AWM Red Cross File). He is commemorated at Villers-Bretonneux Memorial MR 26 Part III G – J, Villers-Bretonneux. Picardie, France.
Final Rank Private, (Runner), 28th Battalion. 14th Platoon Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
Medical Condition Deceased, KIA.
Awards and Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes Peter Johnson was fostered in New Zealand by the father of WD Johnson (MLA.) He was brought up as William Dartnell Johnson’s brother. Following his death, his name was corrected to Peter Potter. His war medals were granted to his father T.S. Potter of York St, Eltham, Taranaki, New Zealand.
AWM Roll of Honour has soldier’s details under primary name Peter Potter.

 Photo Lagnicourt sourced AWM E04580
            Pte. P. Johnson. Westralian Worker, Perth 20.4.1917 p1
            Pte. P. Johnson. West Australian 21.4.1917 p7
            HMAT 'Surada'. Photographer unknown. SLNSW image a639566
            P. Johnson. Image source Swan Express 31.8.1917 p2
            Villers-Bretonneux Australian Memorial, dedicated in 1938. Photographer unknown, photograph source H17454 


Information Source
AWM E04580. Lagnocourt. Photograph sourced from Pictorial Collection of the  Australian War Memorial, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/E04580/
AWM H17454. Villers-Bretonneux Australian Memorial, dedicated in 1938. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Roll Peter Johnson
AWM Roll of Honour- Peter Johnson
AWM Red Cross Files Peter Johnson
NAA: B2455, Johnson P
SLNSW image a639566. HMAT 'Surada'. Photographer unknown photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the State Library of New South Wales
Swan Express
West Australian Newspaper
Westralian Worker. Perth

Wise H. and Coy. Western Australian Post Office Directories. SLWA

5 Water Street (previously Swan Street,) Guildford. WA.

 

Associated Images