Francis Earl Johnston

Forenames

Francis Earl AWMM

Surname

Johnston AWMM

Service number

WWI 10/512A AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Birth

1 Oct 1871 Peter Dennis, UNSW Canberra

Address before enlistment

WW1 Unknown AWMM Wellington, New Zealand AWMM

Next of kin

WW1 Messrs Cox and Company, London, England AWMM

Relationship status

Pre 16 Oct 1914 AWMM Married/WWI AWMM

War

• South African War, 1899-1902 AWMM
• World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Campaign

• 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM
• 1914-1919 AWMM Western Front AWMM
• 1917 AWMM Passchendaele AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

WWI 10/512A AWMM

Medals and Awards

• Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB) AWMM
  Companion of the Order of the Bath - London Gazette, 8 November 1915, p11025: For distinguished service in the field during the operations at the Dardanelles. AWMM
• 1914-1915 Star AWMM
• Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) Three Times AWMM
  Mentioned in Despatches - London Gazette, 15 June 1916 Mentioned in Despatches - London Gazette, 4 January 1917, p197, Rec No 2052: Has commanded his Brigade since the New Zealand Division landed in France, with ability. During operations on the Somme he handled his Command with great coolness and judgement. Mentioned in Field Marshall D Haig's Despatch of 7 November 1917 for distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty during the period February 26th to midnight September 20-21st, 1917. AWMM
• Cross of Karageorge, 3rd Class with Swords (Serbia) AWMM
  Serbian Cross of Karageorge with swords (3rd Class) - London Gazette, 15 February 1917, p1608: For distinguished services rendered during the course of the campaign. AWMM
• Victory Medal AWMM
• British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM

Enlistment

WW1 Soldier/Military AWMM

Embarkation details

WW1 16 Oct 1914-03 Dec 1914 AWMM
HMNZT 3 AWMM Vessel was Maunganui AWMM Colonel/Military AWMM Headquarters, Infantry Brigade AWMM Main Body AWMM

Medical notes

Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Last rank

WW1 Brigadier General/Military AWMM
New Zealand Rifle Brigade AWMM

Death

7 Aug 1917 AWMM
Age  45 AWMM

Cause of death

Killed in Action AWMM

Cemetery

Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France AWMM III. C. 260. AWMM

Obituary

The news of the death of Colonel (temp. Brigadier) Francis Earl Johnston was received with great regret by all ranks of the N.Z.E.F. The General had only taken over the command of the 3rd N.Z. (R.) Brigade a few days prior to his death, which occurred while inspecting the Brigade area on August 8th. In the spring of this year he relinquished the command of the 1st N.Z. Infantry Brigade, and assumed the direction of the N.Z. Reserve Group at Sling Camp, England, returning to France as stated above. General Johnston was the eldest son of the Hon. Charles and Mrs. Johnston, of Karori, Wellington, N.Z. He entered the Imperial Army, receiving his commission in 1891, and served in the Dongola Expedition and in South Africa. On the formation of the N.Z. Division in Egypt, early in 1915, he was given command of the N.Z. Infantry Brigade, which he directed at the landing at Gallipoli, at Cape Helles, and during the August operations. For his services he was awarded the C.B. in November, 1915. On the formation of the N.Z. Division he retained command of the 1st Infantry Brigade and served at Armentières, the Somme, and in the trench warfare through the worst of last winter. The General was no seeker after popularity. He had the confidence of his men, and his rubicund countenance was often to be seen in the front lines. His cheery ‘Good morning!’ did much to dispel the recollection of the horrors of a bad night. General Johnston married Miss Fell, of Wellington, who died while the Force was in Egypt. A few months ago he married Miss Seaton, to whom we offer our sincere sympathy. (Chronicles of the N.Z.E.F., 5 September 1917, p. 27) AWMM

Related objects

External links

• Austin, W. (1924). The official history of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (The Earl of Liverpool's Own). Wellington, L T Watkins. Digital copy
  http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH1-NZRi.html
  Sources Used
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
  http://www.cwgc.org
  Sources Used
• Military personnel file
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R18054021
  Further Reference
• Wikidata Entity
  http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5480818
  Further Reference
• Passchendaele Museum Profile
  https://archives.passchendaele.be/en/soldier/2997
  Further Reference
• New Zealand War Graves Trust
  https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/
  Further Reference

References

• Macdonald, L. (1978). Passchendaele : the story of the third Battle of Ypres 1917. London : Penguin Books.
• Harper, G. (2000). Massacre at Passchendaele : the New Zealand story. Auckland, N.Z.: HarperCollins.
• McDonald, W. (2013). Honours and Awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. (3rd ed.). Hamilton, N.Z.: Richard Stowers.
• New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
  Vol1: 372
• Chronicles of the N.Z.E.F.: Records of Matters Concerning the Troops and Gazette of Patriotic Effort [London, England] : New Zealand War Contingent Association, [1916-1919]
  Obituary: Chronicles of the N.Z.E.F., 5 September 1917, p. 27.
• NZEF Peter Dennis, UNSW Canberra
• Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
  Vol. 3: Includes portrait
• Stowers, R. (2009). Rough riders at war : history of New Zealand's involvement in the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 and information on all members of the 10 New Zealand contingents. Hamilton, N.Z.: R. Stowers.
• Austin, W. (1924). The official history of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (The Earl of Liverpool's Own). Wellington, N.Z.: L T Watkins.
• Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.