Person

Two men from Crook enlisted in the Australian Army (AIF) within days of each other in the early days of the Great War. Both were called Edward Johnston and were born within two months of each other. Their lives were similar until their army careers took them down different paths.

The two Edwards were probably cousins. There was an extended family of Johnston’s living in Crook at the time and whilst one Edward’s father was Robert Dixon Johnston, the other’s is hard to trace. Both Edwards gave their next of kin as a brother, Thomas Johnston, living in Prospect Terrace, New Brancepeth in 1914.

The two men were also physically similar: both 5’5″ tall, weighing 10 stone and with fair complexions, blue eyes and brown hair. The older of the two men, Edward (1), gave his religion as Church of England, Edward W (2) gave his as Methodist.

The older of the two Edwards, born in December 1885, was probably the son of Robert. He enlisted as a driver in the 6th Australian Army Supply Corps, attached to the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, on 12 September 1914 at Rosebery Camp, New South Wales (NSW). He embarked with his unit from Sydney on 21 December 1914, for training in Egypt before proceeding to Gallipoli.

The other man, Edward W, enlisted at Broadmeadows, NSW, on 14 September, joining the 13th (Infantry) Battalion as a private. He too was sent to Gallipoli where he was wounded in the arm on 2 May, just a week after landing in Anzac Cove. He was evacuated back to England eventually and would not return to Gallipoli. Whilst recovering from his injuries in Weymouth, this Edward was found guilty of “an act prejudicial to good order and military discipline” and was sentenced to 48 hours’ detention.

He re-joined his battalion in Alexandria on 8 December 1915, but was in trouble again soon after when he went absent without leave from 10 to 14 February 1916. He was sentenced to seven days of Field Punishment Number 2 and forfeited 4 days’ pay.

On 2 April 1916, Edward W transferred to the Machine Gun Company of his battalion and with them, proceeded to the Western Front where the Allied Armies were massing for the forthcoming attack in the Somme Valley. The 53rd battalion were engaged around the village of Pozieres when on 12 August, Edward W was wounded in the thigh and buttocks. His injuries were severe and he was evacuated back to the Southern General Hospital, based in the Great Hall of Birmingham University. Eleven months later, he returned to Australia on 21 July 1917 and was finally discharged from the army on 18 March 1918, on medical grounds. He was granted a war pension of £3 paid fortnightly.

In the meantime, the older Edward had returned unscathed from Gallipoli and had transferred as a driver in the 45th Battalion when his former unit (6th AASC) was disbanded in March 1916. He too was confined to barracks for seven days in Egypt; found guilty of “neglect of duty whilst on active service”. He had been absent from Picquet Mounting Duty after being duly warned.

This Edward too proceeded to France on 2 May 1916, to join his new battalion in the Somme Valley. The 45th battalion would see action in many of the major battles of the Somme and Ypres but Edward began to suffer with a string of minor ailments which took him out of the line repeatedly over the next two years.

Nevertheless, he survived the war relatively unscathed and, being one of the earliest recruits in 1914, he was also one of the first soldiers to be returned to Australia, arriving back in Melbourne on 2 December 1918, on the Kaiser i Hind. He was discharged from further service in Sydney on 3 February 1919.

Civil Parish: Brandon and Byshottles

Birth date: 1885

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: (1) 127 High Street, Brandon & Byshottles (ecclesiastical parish of St John the Evangelist 1891 & 1901 censuses)

Employment: (1) Grocer’s lad, Labourer
(2) Labourer

Family: (1) Parents: Robert Dixon Johnston (1861-1939) coke filler, from Crook, Mary Ann Johnston (b 1859 in Crook)
Siblings: Thomas Johnston (1888-1965), George Johnston (b 1890)
(2) Sibling: Thomas Johnston

Military service:

(1)Service Number 1046
Driver/Private
6th Australian Army Supply Corps
enlisted 12-Sep-1914 in Rosebery, Sydney, NSW
Transferred as driver in 45th battalion, AIF 02-Apr-1916
Discharged 03-Feb-1919
(2) Service Number 45
Enlisted in 13th Battalion, Australian Infantry, at Broadmeadows, NSW, on 14-Sep-1914
Discharged as medically unfit 18-Mar-1918

Medal(s): (1) & (2)
1914/15 Star
British War medal
Victory Medal

Gender: Male

Contributed by Kelloe Visitor, Trimdon Station