Thrandeston History Group

Walter Goss JOHNSON (1888 - 1915)

Walter was born on 16 April 1888 in Brockdish, Norfolk to Alfred and Laura JOHNSON. Walter was 1 of 5 children, 1 of whom died in infancy and another Frederic who also died in the Great War.

Walter’s mother died in 1898. She gave birth to a child in 1898 who died too, so it is possible that she died in childbirth. His father Alfred married Mary Ann Brumstead in 1899. It would seem possible that Walter was profoundly affected by the death of his mother as will be seen by later information.

In 1901 he was living with his family at Little Green School House in Thrandeston. His father was listed as a Grocer/Draper and it is known that his father ran the post office & shop which is now Honeysuckle Cottage. His stepmother Mary was the School Mistress.

In 1906, Walter was fined £1 for stealing a sheepskin and in 1907 he was charged for drunken behaviour, both events in Malton, Yorkshire. He was charged at the Northallerton Quarter Sessions in Flaxton Yorkshire with Housebreaking in January 1908 in Northallerton, Yorkshire. His sentence was 2 months with hard labour. This record describes his height as 5 ft 5½ inches, his complexion as fair, his hair colour as dark brown and his eye colour as gr, which could be grey or green. It also describes distinguishing marks, (presumably tattoos), as woman l. forearm, dot second l. finger. He was released in March 1908 and went to live in Flaxton, Yorkshire where he worked as a Labourer.

Walter was living at Siddle Grange, East Harlsey, Yorkshire in 1911. He was 23, single and working as a Cowman on a Farm.

It is not known when Walter enlisted, but it is known that he was a Private in the 1st Battalion Essex Regiment. He died on 13 August 1915, age 27, while on His Majesty’s Troopship Royal Edward, sunk by a German U Boat near the island of Kandelioussa in the Aegean Sea. There are several websites that give information about HMT Royal Edward’s sinking and the many men who died. No medal records were found for Walter.

He has a listing on the Commonwealth War Graves site, service number 20721.

In Memory Of
Private
WALTER GOSS JOHNSON
Service Number: 20721 1st Bn., Essex Regiment who died on 13 August 1915 Age 27
Son of the late Alfred Joseph and Laura Johnson.
Remembered with Honour
HELLES MEMORIAL
Panel 146 to 151 or 229 to 233.
COMMEMORATED IN PERPETUITY BY THE COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES

Helles Memorial (CWGC)

(Acknowledgement and thanks to Steve Leverett, great nephew of Walter JOHNSON for the photograph and some information).