A Tetradic Tragedy ~ Part 1
Those Who Loved You Will Never Forget
Gunner George Sidney Johnson 148 Bedfordshire Yeomanry Royal Artillery
The Man George Sidney Johnson was born on Friday 21st October 1910, in Ashendon Buckinghamshire, son of George Herbert a Railway Plateman and Army Pensioner and Miriam Jane nee Burgess. He was one of 10 children, Florence Minnie (1906-1966), Edith Miriam (1907-1988), Bernard (Vernon) Joseph Jacob (31st December 1912 - killed in action at Dunkirk 29th May 1940), Stanley Maurice (1st March 1914 – killed in action in Egypt 4th October 1943), Ronald Wilfred Johnson ( 15th February 1915 - 1984), Albert Edward (13th March 1918 – killed in action at Normandy 8th August 1944), Frederick Arthur (27th December 1919 – 1974), Joan Mary (15th June 1922 - 1994) and a step sister Aleathea May Burgess (23rd May 1902 -July 1976).
Following his education George became a Brushand Painter and Decorator and during the last quarter of 1932 aged 22 married Annie Sarah Jane Watts in Aylesbury. They had four sons, Sidney born in the first quarter of 1933 who sadly died at childbirth, Maurice G born in 1934, Bernard A 1936, Peter 14th July 1937 – 1999. By 1939 the family were living at 5 Council Houses, Baker Street Ashendon and later at 15 Castle Street, Aylesbury.
Following the start of World War II on 3rd September 1939, George was called up and enlisted into the 512 Battery, 148 (The Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery as a Gunner with service number 1094232. The 148th was assigned to the 18th (East Anglian) Infantry Division and the regiment transferred to Singapore with its division, arriving just before the Fall of Singapore in February 1942. The regiment was authorised to use the "Bedfordshire Yeomanry" designation from 17 February 1942 but, as it was captured on 15 February, this change was ineffective. George had been posted to India initially then to Singapore to assist its defence, but was taken as a Prisoner of War at the fall of Singapore on 15th February 1942 to the Japanese.
George was transported to Thailand in hellish conditions and used as slave labour building the notorious Burma Railway and being held at No 4 Camp. He succumbed to the hardships endured at the hands of the Japanese and died of Avitaminosis - a lack of the recommended blood levels of 1 or more essential vitamins. The condition is usually caused by a diet low in essential vitamins - on 4th September 1943 aged 33. He was buried at Chungkai Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, Kanchanaburi, Thailand in plot 5.E.7, having been hospitalised there beforehand. His headstone was inscribed - THOSE WHO LOVED YOU, WILL NEVER FORGET. YOUR LOVING WIFE AND SONS.
He was posthumously awarded the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-45.
Annie re-married in 1952 to Edward George Fowler and passed away during the third quarter of 1980.
George, Stanley, Vernon and Albert were all killed in action in different theatres during World War II but are reunited in the ranks of 'The Glorious Dead'.
Following his education George became a Brushand Painter and Decorator and during the last quarter of 1932 aged 22 married Annie Sarah Jane Watts in Aylesbury. They had four sons, Sidney born in the first quarter of 1933 who sadly died at childbirth, Maurice G born in 1934, Bernard A 1936, Peter 14th July 1937 – 1999. By 1939 the family were living at 5 Council Houses, Baker Street Ashendon and later at 15 Castle Street, Aylesbury.
Following the start of World War II on 3rd September 1939, George was called up and enlisted into the 512 Battery, 148 (The Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery as a Gunner with service number 1094232. The 148th was assigned to the 18th (East Anglian) Infantry Division and the regiment transferred to Singapore with its division, arriving just before the Fall of Singapore in February 1942. The regiment was authorised to use the "Bedfordshire Yeomanry" designation from 17 February 1942 but, as it was captured on 15 February, this change was ineffective. George had been posted to India initially then to Singapore to assist its defence, but was taken as a Prisoner of War at the fall of Singapore on 15th February 1942 to the Japanese.
George was transported to Thailand in hellish conditions and used as slave labour building the notorious Burma Railway and being held at No 4 Camp. He succumbed to the hardships endured at the hands of the Japanese and died of Avitaminosis - a lack of the recommended blood levels of 1 or more essential vitamins. The condition is usually caused by a diet low in essential vitamins - on 4th September 1943 aged 33. He was buried at Chungkai Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, Kanchanaburi, Thailand in plot 5.E.7, having been hospitalised there beforehand. His headstone was inscribed - THOSE WHO LOVED YOU, WILL NEVER FORGET. YOUR LOVING WIFE AND SONS.
He was posthumously awarded the 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-45.
Annie re-married in 1952 to Edward George Fowler and passed away during the third quarter of 1980.
George, Stanley, Vernon and Albert were all killed in action in different theatres during World War II but are reunited in the ranks of 'The Glorious Dead'.
The Story The emotive group of medals awarded to George Sidney Johnson were acquired from E-Bay on 23rd March 2023, during the tail end of a visit to Thailand. They were of interest because of the fact George had died working on the Burma Railway and buried in Chungkai Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Kanchanburi, Thailand, a sub-theme of this collection.
Of especial interest was the large archive of original documentation with the group, including attributable photographs of George, letters home, correspondence advising of his death and photograph of his original grave.
Together with the documents, Ancestry.UK enabled a brief biography to be pieced together and thanks to a comment in one of George’s, letters it was established he had three surviving sons, on having died very young. Their years of birth were then traced on Ancestry, this explaining the inscription on his grave.
The paperwork reveals how slow the Japanese were in advising of deaths, as much of the correspondence is still positive about George, despite the fact he had died some week previously. As if the story, largely due to the paperwork and letters were not poignant enough, during the research, despite his father’s middle name being incorrect on the CWG certificate - Hubert rather than Herbert, it was discovered following much cross referencing, that he was one of 10 children, three of his brothers also being killed in action during World War II all in different theatres of War – Dunkirk, North Africa and Normandy.
A desperately sad story, for parents to lose four of their six sons, one more reminiscent of World War I!.
George’s wife and three sons have now all passed away, but George's grave was visited on Friday 7th July 2023 and a popply placed from Annie, Maurice, Bernard and Peter.
His brothers, Albert Edward, Stanley Maurice and Vernon Jacob Joseph, also killed in action, have been separately researched and their medal entitlements confirmed.
Of especial interest was the large archive of original documentation with the group, including attributable photographs of George, letters home, correspondence advising of his death and photograph of his original grave.
Together with the documents, Ancestry.UK enabled a brief biography to be pieced together and thanks to a comment in one of George’s, letters it was established he had three surviving sons, on having died very young. Their years of birth were then traced on Ancestry, this explaining the inscription on his grave.
The paperwork reveals how slow the Japanese were in advising of deaths, as much of the correspondence is still positive about George, despite the fact he had died some week previously. As if the story, largely due to the paperwork and letters were not poignant enough, during the research, despite his father’s middle name being incorrect on the CWG certificate - Hubert rather than Herbert, it was discovered following much cross referencing, that he was one of 10 children, three of his brothers also being killed in action during World War II all in different theatres of War – Dunkirk, North Africa and Normandy.
A desperately sad story, for parents to lose four of their six sons, one more reminiscent of World War I!.
George’s wife and three sons have now all passed away, but George's grave was visited on Friday 7th July 2023 and a popply placed from Annie, Maurice, Bernard and Peter.
His brothers, Albert Edward, Stanley Maurice and Vernon Jacob Joseph, also killed in action, have been separately researched and their medal entitlements confirmed.
George Sidney JOHNSON is one of 16 soldiers in this collection who perished whilst working on the Burma Railaway and whose final resting place is Kanchanaburi or Chungkai Commonwealth War Cemeteries in Thailand or Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar. May their souls rest in eternal peace. Click on each name to read about:
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Pacific Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
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This page last updated 7 Jul 23
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