Private John Johnston

Private John William Johnston, 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action in France on 1st October 1915 during the Battle of Loos and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Dud Corner, Loos, France. Before the war he had been employed as a salmon fisherman on the River Tweed. He fell in the fierce and confused fighting for the “Hohenzollern Redoubt” and “Little Willie Trench” until the Battalion was relieved on the 4th October. Between 1st and 4th October casualties were 5 Officers and 123 Other Ranks killed and 10 Officers and 115 Other Ranks wounded. The photo shows shell bursting on the ” Hoenzollern ” Redoubt and the artist’s nightmarish illustration shows an attack at Loos with the troops wearing their gas hoods and using primitive grenades.

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