R JOHNSON possibly 2615656 Sjt Robert JOHNSON, 1st Grenadier Guards, DOW 3/9/1944

Hi everyone, I am researching a WW2 War Memorial and have only the surname and initial which is - JOHNSON, R. I have found a possible Grenadier Guardsman who was born in Chester and his was residence in Flintshire, so I know it just a chance, but wondered if anyone can add to what I have got to find his family, as I want to tell his story so he will be remembered.
Serjeant
JOHNSON, ROBERT
Service Number 2615656
Died 03/09/1944
Aged 24
1st Bn. Grenadier Guards
LONDON CEMETERY AND EXTENSION, LONGUEVAL

I have looked in the 1939 Register and found these families that might fit.

Johnson Household (4 People)
20 Dee Road , Connah's Quay U.D., Flintshire, Wales
Frances Johnson 22 Dec 1886 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Widowed 81 1
Robert H Johnson 18 May 1922 Male Laboratory Assistant In Fibre Works Single 81 2
Doreen Fox 03 Mar 1926 Female At School Single 81 3
Edna (Joan) Ballinger (Fox) 03 Oct 1930 Female At School Single 81 4

OR

Johnson Household (7 People)
24 Rowden Street , Hawarden R.D., Flintshire, Wales
Richard Johnson 13 Sep 1883 Male Steel Works Labourer Married 168 1
Alice M Johnson 22 Jul 1885 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 168 2
Alice M Carter (Johnson) 03 Jul 1914 Female Nurseryman Field Labourer Single 168 3
Robert J Johnson 02 Mar 1917 Male Stage Worker Unemployed Single 168 4
Sorry, this record is officially closed. Check if you can open a closed record.
Edna Evans (Johnson) 01 May 1922 Female Nurseryman Shed Labourer Single 168 6
Molly Johnson 24 Apr 1926 Female At School Single 168 7

Chester & Flintshire is such a wide area, but it was worth a chance of finding him, there is no other clue on the War Memorial.

Any help would be much appreciated. Many thanks in advance. Mavis Williams

 

Hi Mavis,

Those 1939 registers give the `Robert Johnson`s ` as March 1917 and May 1922 ? They dont fit a twenty four year old who would have been born late 1919 -1920 ?

Best
Kyle

 

Mavis

What makes you think he was a Guardsman?? - or is that a guess, does the memorial have his service?? - on CWGC there are 140 x R Johnson

There is another possible, but hes RAF:
UK, Commonwealth War Graves, 1914-1921 and 1939-1947
Name: Robert Newton Johnson
Age: 21
Birth Date: abt 1923
Death Date: 8 May 1944
Cemetery: Orleans Main Cemetery
Burial Country: France
Father: Robert Henry Johnson
Mother: Eva Johnson
Regimental Number: 1488745
Region or Memorial: France

England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007
Name: Robert N Johnson
Registration Date: Oct-Nov-Dec 1922
Registration district: Hawarden
Inferred County: Flintshire
Re-registration Year: 1922
Mother's Maiden Name: Wakley
Volume Number: 11b
Page Number: 336

TD

 

Hi TD,
I think this one Mavis found resided in Flintshire which fits the protocol for inclusion on the memorial?

Name: Robert Johnson
Given Initials: R
Rank: Serjeant
Death Date: 3 Sep 1944
Number: 2615656
Birth Place: Chester
Residence: Flintshire
Regiment at Enlistment: Grenadier Guards
Branch at Enlistment: Foot Guards
Theatre of War: Western Europe Campaign, 1944/45
Regiment at Death: Grenadier Guards
Branch at Death: Foot Guards

The Robert Newton Johnson TD has found lived at Springdale ,Upperdale,Hawarden,Flintshire Next of Kin Robert Henry Johnson ,Railwayman.

Best

Kyle

 

Well There's lot's to think about here, thanks so much, all. The Memorial is the Connah's Quay and Shotton War Memorial, and there is a Hawarden War Memorial, which is only a few miles away, and incidentally, Shotton was in the Parish of Hawarden. I have just checked and there is a R.N. JOHNSON on the Hawarden WW2 War Memorial and I am going to research that when I have finished this one, so thank you TD and Kyle, again there is only initials for him, but most on Hawarden do have Christian names, but on neither Memorial is any Rank shown or Regt. So I still feel a little better about the Grenadiers Guardsman Johnson, only because of the Chester, Flintshire link. Again, up to about 30/40 years ago, our addresses were always "Nr. Chester" and Shotton and Hawarden were often referred on the censuses as Chester as well. Very confusing when you are trying to sort out who is who. Very grateful for the R.N. Johnson information, it gives me a head start on Hawarden!! Kindest regards, Mavis

 

Hi Mavis

When you made the statement above, how did you know from the memorial he was a Grenadier Guardsman, and a Sgt ?

TD

 

Hello TD,
I`m sure Mavis will explain better but I think she is researching the Connah's Quay and Shotton War Memorial (WW2). Flintshire and Gdsmn R Johnson was shown to reside in Flintshire ?

Kyle

 

I understand she is researching the Connah's Quay and Shotton War Memorial (WW2) in Flintshire, but as there is only a surname and initial on the memorial the question as to how Mavis knows its a Sgt and a Grenadier Guardsman specifically is interesting and I assume a guess.
Searching for R Johnson who died in WW2 but was born or lived in the area surrounding Connahs Quay and Shotton will be difficult.

TD

 

Okay I will wait to find out what Mavis method was

I know I put the surname of `Johnson` in the CWGC search box and in the `additional information box` I put `Flintshire` I didnt get the Gdsmn (Sgt) R Johnson but got three `Johnsons` for `Flintshire`

Able Seaman
JOHNSON, RICHARD DE-LA-NOY
Service Number D/J22109
Died 08/04/1941
Aged 45
H.M.S. Wolverine
Royal Navy
Son of Thomas and Gertrude Eliza Johnson; husband of Beatrice Lizzie Johnson (Died 29th October 1961), of St. Asaph, Flintshire.
Buried at TREFNANT (HOLY TRINITY) CHURCHYARD
Location: Denbighshire, United Kingdom
Number of casualties: 6
Cemetery/memorial reference: S.E. part. Grave 341.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trooper
JOHNSON, JEREMIAH FREDERICK
Service Number 7899548
Died 06/05/1943
Aged 24
5th
Royal Tank Regiment, R.A.C.
Son of Jeremiah and Jane Johnson, of Ffynon-Groew, Flintshire.
Buried at MASSICAULT WAR CEMETERY
Location: Tunisia
Number of casualties: 1447
Cemetery/memorial reference: I. E. 17.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private
JOHNSON, NORMAN
Service Number 4195850
Died 07/12/1943
Aged 24
6th (10th Bn. The Royal Welch Fusiliers) Bn.
The Parachute Regiment, A.A.C.
Son of Ada Johnson, of Queen's Ferry, Flintshire.
Buried at SANGRO RIVER WAR CEMETERY
Location: Italy
Number of casualties: 2546
Cemetery/memorial reference: IX. B. 45.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kyle

 

The Cheshire Observer, Saturday, September 26, 1942

 

Hello again TD and Kyle, So much info! Yes it was a fluke that I just came upon Grenadier Guardsman R. Johnson, and the connection to Chester and Flintshire made me think he COULD be the one, as I have found sometimes that Chester and Flintshire is shown and they have been the correct man. I have no idea what service he may be in. Kyle, I cannot believe it, but again, on the Hawarden War Memorial there is a Norman JOHNSON! That is so spooky again! That's 2 Servicemen you have found for me and I haven't started Hawarden! Thank you also Tony56 for the newspaper, I cannot read it but will look for it tomorrow when I go to the Record Office in Hawarden. You are all very kind helping me. I really appreciate all you do on this Forum. Kindest regards, Mavis

 

Thank you so much Owen, I'm still learning!!! That is wonderful, really convinces me that Guardsman R. JOHNSON is the man. Bless him. Tony56, where did you see this? I tried the newspapers on Find my Past and it was awful. Many thanks to you all, you've made my day! Kindest regards, Mavis

 

Thank you Owen. You are very kind going the extra mile for me. Regards, Mavis

 

Thank you TD, so he was wounded and suffered for a month, Bless him. Thanks again, his story is emerging thanks to this Forum. Kindest regards, Mavis
.

 

Mavis

The last post was from dbf not me

TD

 

It's there! Must admit I think that it is a fantastic resource and I have found no end of information for my family tree:
FMP