Dudley Graham Johnson
Dudley Johnson | |
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Mentioned in Despatches |
Military career
Johnson served with the Wiltshire Regiment in the Second Boer War.[1] He transferred to the South Wales Borderers upon graduating from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1903.
He went to serve in World War I, earning the Distinguished Service Order in 1915 for bravery in late 1914, with the citation reading:
For conspicuous ability on the night of 5th-6th November, 1914, during the operations against the German positions at Tsing-tau, and for great gallantry in rescuing; several wounded men whilst exposed to heavy machine-gun fire.[2]
He was later awarded a bar to his DSO towards the end of the war, with the citation for the bar stating:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in command of his battalion in the attack. The ground over which his battalion advanced was very difficult, but thanks to his careful dispositions, was successfully negotiated. He personally superintended the reorganisation after the objective was reached, and subsequently carried out a night attack, advancing some thousand yards in the face of strenuous opposition. His skilful arrangements and conduct throughout inspired the men under him with a splendid fighting spirit.[3]
He was 34 years old, and an acting lieutenant-colonel in the South Wales Borderers, British Army, commanding the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment during the First World War when the following deed took place at the Sambre Canal, France for which he was awarded the VC.
On 4 November 1918 at Sambre Canal, France, the 2nd Infantry Brigade, of which the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment formed part, was ordered to cross by the lock south of Catillon. The position was strong and the assaulting and bridging parties were halted on arrival at the waterway 100 yards from the canal by a heavy barrage. At this point Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson arrived and personally led an assault but heavy fire again broke up the attack. He reorganized the assaulting and bridging parties and this time effected a crossing but the success of this dangerous operation was entirely due to his splendid leadership.[4][5]
Between the wars he attended the
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the South Wales Borderers Museum, Brecon, Powys, Wales.
Family
He was married to Marjorie Grisewood, who died in 1950. They had one son and two daughters and, after his wife's death, spent the last 25 years of his life a widower.
References
- ^ a b c d e Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- ^ "No. 29102". The London Gazette. 16 March 1915. p. 2628.
- ^ "No. 31119". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 January 1919. p. 578.
- ^ "No. 31108". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 January 1919. p. 305.
- ^ Battlefields
- ^ Smart 2005, p. 173.
- ^ "No. 34886". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 June 1940. p. 4003.
Bibliography
- Buzzell, Nora, ed. (1997). The Register of the Victoria Cross. ISBN 0-906324-27-0.
- Gliddon, Gerald (2014) [2000]. The Final Days 1918. ISBN 978-0-7509-5368-9.
- Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. ISBN 1844150496.