William Henry Johnston Military person

William Henry Johnston VC (21 December 1879 – 8 June 1915) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.Born 21 December 1879 in Leith, Edinburgh to Maj. William Johnston and Mary Johnston. Johnston was a captain in the 59th Field Company, Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army. He was 34 years old, on 14 September 1914 during the Race to the Sea at Missy, France, in the First World War, he performed an act of bravery for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.His citation read:At Missy, on 14th Sept., under a heavy fire all day until 7 p.m., worked with his own hand two rafts bringing back wounded and returning with ammunition; thus enabling advanced Brigade to maintain its position across the river.He later achieved the rank of major. He was killed in action, Ypres, Belgium, on 8 June 1915.His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Engineers Museum, Chatham, Kent.

Personal facts

William Henry Johnston
Birth dateDecember 21, 1879
Birth place
Edinburgh , Leith
Date of deathJune 08, 1915
Place of death
Ypres
Resting place
Perth (China Wall) Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery

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Military person

award
Victoria Cross
military operations
World War I
military unit
Royal Engineers
service start1899
service end1915

William Henry Johnston on Wikipedia