Franklin L. Johnson MM

Rank:

Lieutenant

Regimental number:

11371

Unit at enlistment:

4th Battalion

Force:

C.E.F.

Volunteered or conscripted:

Volunteered

Survived the war:

Yes

Wounded:

Yes

Awards or decorations:

Military Medal

Birth country:

U.S.A.

Birth county:

Ramsey County

Birth city:

St. Paul

Address at enlistment:

17 Waterloo Street, Brantford, Ontario

Next of kin address:

17 Waterloo Street, Brantford, Ontario

Trade or calling:

Mechanical Engineer

Marital status:

Single

Age at enlistment:

Gallantry medals:

Yes

Letters and documents

London Gazette: 29873
Date: December 21, 1916
Honour or Award: Military Medal
Authority: R.O. 2459, Currie, October 25, 1916
Name: Franklin L. Johnson (11371)
Unit: 4th Battalion

Details: During an attack on German trenches near Courcelette on 8th Oct. 1916, this man and three others were members of a party of bombers who cleared 300 yards of trench, capturing a German machine gun and over 100 prisoners and getting in touch with the adjoining Battalion on the right. In the afternoon of the same day when a heavy German counter attack was made the same men were members of a party which made three counter attacks on the enemy, holding up their advance until dusk when the party was forced to retire owing to shortage of bombs.

BX November 20, 1916

Sergeant Franklin Johnson Awarded Military Medal

Sergeant Frank Johnson, son of Ward H. Johnson of the Johnson Press, who is at the front with the 4th Battalion, has been awarded the M.M. Today his father had word from him that he had been re-promoted to be sergeant and awarded the Military Medal. He was some time ago given the position of sergeant-major, when he was attached to the school for grenade throwing. However, through some oversight, when the school concluded and he was returned to his battalion, he went back to the ranks as a private. This error was immediately taken up by his commanding officer, and he was officially made sergeant. Sergeant Johnson has been at the front ever since the formation of the Fourth Battalion, and up till the time when he was wounded, recently, he was the only member of the original company to escape injury.

BX September 29, 1914

Brantford Boys Are Now on Their Way to England – Sailed Early Sunday Morning – Letter received by Ward H. Johnson From His Son, Franklin L. Johnson, Tells of the Departure of the Contingent – Embarked Friday Night, but Remained in Harbor

The Brantford volunteers with the 38th Dufferin Rifles are now well on their way to the Old Land, to take up even more arduous drill before going to the front. They embarked on the S.S. Tyrolia on Friday last and sailed with the out tide on Sunday morning, having lain in Quebec harbor in the meantime.

This information is given in letters and telegrams received in the city by the relatives of members of the regiment. Mrs. F.W. Howard received a night lettergram on Sunday from her husband, stating that she need not expect to hear from him for a couple of weeks, but that everything would be all right. He did not announce positively that they had left. A similar communication was received from Capt. M.A. Colquhoun by his wife here the day previous.

This morning Mr. W.H. Johnson received the following letter from his son; Frank, who is with the Brantford contingent:

September 27, 1914
Sunday
Steamer Tyrolia

Just a few lines to let you know that we went on board the good ship Tyrolia at 9.30 o’clock Friday night. We lay in the harbor at Quebec until this morning, when we started out with the tide for Father Point. We passed the wrecked Empress of Ireland. They are now calling for the mail so will have to close. The pilot is going ashore as we are now at Father Point. We are all feeling well. Good-bye until I get a chance to write again.

Your son,
Frank

BX February 23, 1915

Wrote on Eve of Departure – Ward H. Johnson Receives Two Interesting Letters From His Son, Who is Now in France

Ward H. Johnson of this city has received two brief but very interesting letters from his son, Franklin L. Johnson, one telling of the forthcoming inspection of the Canadian contingent by the King, the other of the departure of the Canadian troops from England for France. The letters in part are:

February 14, 1915
Bustard Camp

Dear Folks at Home,

This is perhaps the last time I shall have an opportunity of writing a letter, because when I am at the front I am allowed only to send a card which is printed stating whether I am all right or not.

We are to be inspected by the King tomorrow, after which we leave for France. I do not know where our destination is, but I will drop you a card every chance I get to let you know how I am.

Our platoon had its photo taken on Sunday last. We are the first Canadian Brigade to leave for the front. The big fight is going to be pulled on this spring and summer, so we will be in it. I think it is up to the Canadians to show what kind of goods they can deliver as the word has been "Wait until the Canadians are at the front." My company has been changed once more to B. Company.

Yours,
Frank

February 7, 1915
Bustard Camp

Dear Folks at Home,

We are off on the morning at 4 o'clock. We have been issued with 120 rounds of ammunition. The officers say we are going right to the front.

I guess I will feel rather funny at first when the firing starts, but I shall get used to it. Good-bye and please everybody write.

Frank

11371 F.L. Johnson,
Thirty-Eight Dufferin Rifles, B. Company,
Fourth Battalion, First Brigade,
First Canadian Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force,
Care G.P.O., London, Eng.

BX March 29, 1915

Newsy Letters From Brantford Boy Who Has Been in Trenches – Pte. Frank Johnson Writes Interestingly to His Father and Mother About His Experiences at the Front – Tells of Narrow Escapes, but Finds Life Bearable.

This morning’s mail from overseas brought to Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Johnson, 17 Waterloo Street, two short but newsy letters from their son, Frank. They were dated March 11 and 13, after the Canadians had been in the trenches and were very interesting. They follow:

March 11, 1915

Dear Mother, Father, and folks at home,

I cannot write much as I only have about ten minutes. I am billeted somewhere and am in good health. I have been in the trenches and it is not such a bad life. The first night we went in, we were working in the trenches, or rather on the top. We could just dimly make out the Germans repairing their wire and trench, and as the moon was behind them we knew they could very easily discern us. You see it is a sort of truce we hold between each other.

They shelled this place the other day and several shells broke in front of our billet in a field. Happily none struck our home, such as it is.

Must close, as they are calling for mail. Please write soon as mail is the only thing we chaps have to look forward to. I will write when I get the chance again.

I have a piece of shrapnel, which I dug out of a shutter which hit a building near us across the road. With love to all, I remain,

Frank
Address mail: First Canadian Expeditionary Force, Overseas

March 13, 1915

Dear Mother and Father,

Sorry I had to cut my last letter so short but, as per usual, another rumor started. All mail had to be in by 7.30 p.m., as it was the last mail for one month. Such was not the case, I am glad to hear.

I went into the trenches for the first time last Friday night. We marched up a long road in single file, and were cautioned not to make a single sound, or cough, as the Germans had a machine gun trained on the road.

The boys go to full pack and stay in for four days after which they are relieved for the same number. It is not so very bad in the trenches, only for the mud. I wish you could have seen me when I came out. Nothing but thick mud from head to foot. It rained most of the time we were in.

There is one thing that has given me considerable trouble, however, namely, my height. Some places in the trenches it is only five feet and you can imagine how very much I am doubled up cutting off that other foot of myself.

Once or twice I showed the top of my hat, while walking around and was immediately rewarded by hearing a bullet sing over the top of the trench. However, I am cultivating the habit of walking on my hands and knees, which seems to be very appropriate for such occasions. The Germans are remarkably good shots when it comes to sniping, which they keep up all day long. However, we give them the same dose.

There are a few broken down and loosened the beam for us, so you see sometimes the Germans can be very accommodating. I am in good health and look forward to the news from Brantford so please write soon.

Frank
Address mail: First Canadian Expeditionary Force, Overseas

P.S. – We sure do get some fine consolation here sometimes. I was over to the engineers’ yesterday, and they are busy making crosses with “Canada” printed on the top. They evidently imagined that some of us are going to have a rest.

BX May 3, 1915

Were Playing Ball

W.H. and Mrs. Johnson have received a short but interesting letter from their son, Frank, now with the Dufferin Rifles First Contingent. The letter was started April 7, but was not finished until April 17. In it Pte. Johnson denies the stories that the Canadians were received with open arms by the French sleeping in fine houses and having a glorious time. That they are not discouraged, however, is shown by the fact that the boys got to work, made a ball of string, cut down a branch of a tree and had a good game of ball. The letter reads as follows:

April 7, 1915

Dear Father and Mother,

I am sending you a few French violets which I picked the other day; also a couple of others which are unknown to me. I am well, but at the same time I wish I were home so that I might once more partake of your lemon pie. Wow! I would clean up on about three of them.

I saw a piece in a Toronto paper which remarked how the French were receiving the Canadians with open arms, also the fine houses they sleep in while resting. That kind of stuff makes the boys sore. Believe me, when out of the trenches all we see is barns, and as for the French, well, morning, noon and night they stand around with their hands outstretched calling 'souvenir.'

The rats out here are grand fellows. They eat our rations at night, after which they play tag over our feet. We don't mind the rats so much. It's the shoes which the boys throw at the rats.

Well folks I started this letter a number of days ago, stopped and now (April 19) I am going to finish it. Today is a lovely sunshiny day and we have just finished playing a game of ball, which we manufactured with string. A branch of a tree serves as a bat. There is little else to tell you.

I remain yours,
Frank

BX May 31, 1915

Pte. Johnson Writes Home – Brantford Boy Lost His Kit But Helped to Rescue Wounded Soldiers

Two short but breezy letters have been received by Mr. and Mrs. Ward H. Johnson, 17 Waterloo Street, from their son, Frank, who is with the Fourth Battalion at the front, and has been through the fierce fighting in which the Canadians won so much glory. Enclosed in one of the letters was a printed program of a memorial service held in Aviation Park, Bailleul, on Sunday, May 9, at 10 a.m. for the Canadians of the First Brigade, First Canadian Division, who led the “Battle of Ypres, April 22nd to May 2nd, 1915.” The Anglican form of service was used and the program was printed in royal purple. It will be treasured as a keepsake. The letters with the personal matters omitted follow:

May 10, 1915

Dear Mother and Father and Folks at home,

As this is Sunday afternoon I thought it best to write home. I am quite well and hope that the same prevails at home.
You no doubt have heard of the big engagement which occurred lately, also the important part the fourth played in it. Therefore it would be useless for me to try and describe any particular point except this one expression – “It was hell.” I never thought I would ever come out alive.

Well mother, how are all the different little things in Brantford, I often wonder and wish to be home again, but of course not before things are ended here, which I think will come soon now.

By the way mother, I asked you some time ago in one of my letters if you would take some of my money and send me a box of chewing gum. If you don’t mind I wish you would please do so, as I seem to have a craving for gum.

Enclosed you will find a program of our church service held Sunday morning, May 9, 1915. I wish you would keep it, as it is in memoriam of my friends and chums.

Please write soon. With love to all at home.
Frank

May 13, 1915

Dear Mother and Father,

I am feeling much better today, so am writing to you once again.

On the advance last Friday I lost all of my kit, including the pretty little book you gave me the morning I left home, “Lest We Forget.” I treasured that book more than anything I possessed, thus when it was dark I crept back across the field to where I dropped my pack, but I was unable to find it. Also, there was a number of wounded lying round calling for help, so I gave up looking for my pack and helped to bring some poor fellow in who was shot through both ankles.

I lost everything I had, razor, towel, soap everything. I have started to make up my kit and am doing fairly well.

Well I must close for this time, but I shall write again soon. With love to all at home.

Frank

BX June 24, 1915

Chums Killed; Very Lonely – Private Frank Johnson Tells of Loneliness at Front with Local Boys

Speaking from the very fullness of his heart, Private Frank Johnson, who sorrows through the loss of his comrades, Corp. Charlton and Pte. Jack Hawke, writes home to his mother, Mrs. W.H. Johnson 17 Waterloo St. The letter gives those who stay at home an idea of the lonely feelings which must be felt by the men in the firing line, when their fellow soldiers are taken from them, and still they are far away from friends and loved ones. The letter, deleted of personal items, is as follows:

June 8, 1915

Dear Mother,

For goodness sake, mother, please write often. It is awfully lonely out here now as both my chums were killed, Corp. Charlton and Jack Hawke, who I used to have some very good heart to heart talks with. None of the boys ever knew what Claude Charlton was to me. He was like a big brother but at the same time he was only 29 years old. This evening the Canadian mail came in, but there was nothing for me, hence my present mood. You know you and Vera are the only two who write to me, and as for Alpha I have had one letter from him since I left home. I guess they think I am the black sheep, but I know you and Vera don’t think that. I know I left a good position, and all that, but if everybody had stayed at home, where would Canada be today? Why in the same position as poor Belgium and France. Some of the sights have almost made me cry. Poor little children with their hands blown off by shells. Old men and women without a roof to cover their heads and not a bite to eat. I have often given them my ration of bully beef or jam. One sad sight I saw was when we were passing through a little village after coming out of the Battle of Ypres. We were marching through a little village and as we passed through I noticed in the doorway of a cottage an old man and a little girl lying in a pool of blood. Both of them had been killed by one German shell, grandfather and daughter. But enough of that.

We are having very warm weather; I am as brown as a nigger and quite well. The boys are singing “I Wonder How the Old Folks are at Home.” At the same time, the artillery is going to beat 60 bombarding – I expect we shall be in it once more before morning.

Sincerely,
Frank

BX July 14, 1915

Bomb Thrower For a Brigade - Pte. Franklin L. Johnson Receives Dangerous Task at the Front

Private Frank L. Johnson, son of Mr. W.H. Johnson, 17 Waterloo Street, who left Brantford with the first Dufferin Rifles squad for active service, has been transferred to the bomb-throwers. This is very dangerous work, but those who knew Frank as a chum will know that where danger is there he would be found. The following letter was received by his mother yesterday and kindly handed to us for publication.

Dear Mother

Received your long-looked for letter and I was indeed glad to hear from you. I thank you very much for the gum and book, although I have not as yet received them, but I suppose I shall receive them on the next mail. Parcels are always a little late, but believe me whatever you have written in that book shall remain.

My address is now changed. One thing I have not as yet told you is that for the past four months I have belonged to the bomb-throwers. I volunteered for it. From the first I threw my heart into the game, so that after a time they made me brigade bomb-thrower. Thus I am attached to the brigade headquarters transport, and am entitled to a horse, as I have to go round all the country on my work. A week ago I was in a small village and had my picture taken. It turned out punk, so please don't let anybody see it. Tear it up.

I am sending you a birthday card, Mother, which a poor little tot of a girl was selling away up by one of our big batteries. I forget when your birthday was Mother, so please excuse me. I wish you would write soon.

My address is

F.L. Johnson, No. 11371
First Brigade Headquarters Transport,
First C.E.F., British E.F.,
Army Post Office,
London, England

BX November 3, 1915

Now Sergeant Major of Brigade Grenade School – Pte. Frank Johnson of This City Has Received Promotion for His Excellent Work With the Bomb-Throwers in France – Is After Commission Now

Pte. Frank L. Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Johnson, 17 Waterloo Street, has been promoted to be Sergeant-Major of the 1st Infantry Brigade grenade school, following on his fine work with the brigade-bomb-throwers. He is after a commission, in a recent letter to his mother he wrote:

October 20, 1915
London

Dear Mother,

How do you like this? I have at last reached London on pass. It was a horribly long journey and very tiresome.

I am now a warrant officer, second-class. I am sergeant-major of the brigade grenade school, and hope in a short time to take out a commission. I like my work very much and Lieut. Sprinks, M.P., who is the O.C. of the grenade school, has been very kind to me.
Well, mother, there was a time when I was in a tight corner out in France and I thought that I should never see London again. However, with God’s protection I have gone through so far, and with His protection and guidance in the future I shall endeavor to carry out my new duties in France.

It is grand to have a pass, mother, but a chap feels rather sick at his stomach when he gets off the train at Victoria station and has to look on and see hundreds of lucky devils being embraced by their relations or sweethearts. It is a very strange sight to see some well-dressed aristocratic middle aged lady run up the platform and embrace a very dirty and ragged Tommy.

I will just quote one verse of a very old song, but still true:

“The sons of kings, the sons of tramps
We teach them to be men –
Nobly to live, bravely to die,
Heroic and gentlemen.”

Well good-night mother. I would give all that I possess in this world to see you tonight. Love to all at home and yourself.

Frank

BX September 11, 1916

Received Wound After Extended Service at Front – Battalion Sergeant Major Franklin L. Johnson of Grenade-Throwers Has Charmed Life – Wounded in Arms

“The pitcher that goes to the well too often, gets broken at last,” says an old adage. In the case of Regimental Sergeant Major Frank L. Johnson, son of W.H. Johnson, of the Johnson Press, this has been proved true. Recently it was noted in The Expositor that after over two years of fighting he was the only man in his company who had been in continual service, never having been wounded, though leader of the “suicide” squad of grenade throwers. On Sunday his father received word that he had been admitted to the convalescent hospital at Boulogne with a grenade contusion in the arm, on Sept. 4.

He was Pte. Frank Johnson, of the Dufferin Rifles First Contingent for the war when he left here in August, 1914. By hard work and efficient service, he had risen to be battalion sergeant-major of the “Mad Fourth,” in which Brantford men have played such a prominent part. Only recently he had been selected to become instructor of the trench mortar school of the battalion, with quarters situated some nine miles from the firing line.

Officers who have returned home have stated that he bore a charmed life. Though he was the leader of the bomb throwers, who go first out clear the way for an infantry attack, he had never been wounded, or even scratched.

Judging from the cablegram received, the wound he sustained was not a serious one, and it is expected that he will soon be again ready for duty.

BX September 13, 1916

Officially Reported

Sergeant Major Frank L. Johnson, 17 Waterloo Street, and William Edward Greensides, are in this morning’s casualty list reported as being wounded and seriously ill, respectively. Both were announced in The Expositor early in the week, but not until this morning was the official announcement made.

BX September 21, 1916

Back in the Trenches

Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Johnson, Waterloo Street, have received a letter from their son, B.S.M. Frank Johnson, stating that he had been wounded in the head and arms with shrapnel splinters. A shell burst near him, the splinters doing the damage. He was not sent to "Blighty," the doctors thinking that the wounds were not serious enough for this, and he expected that by the time the letter was received that he would be back with his division. He added that the entry of Romania into the war had greatly cheered the boys at the front and that victory was now but a short way off.

BX February 14, 1917

Frank L. Johnson Gets Commission – Local Man’s Services at the Front for Over Two Years Are Recognized

Promotion has come to Frank L. Johnson of the 4th Battalion, son of W.H. Johnson, printer, he now being a commissioned officer. Private Johnson went overseas with the first contingent, and has been almost continuously in the trenches. Twice he was wounded during that time. At one time he was appointed sergeant-major to be put in a school as a trench grenade instructor, but through some oversight this promotion was not confirmed and at the conclusion of the school he reverted to the ranks. Later he was promoted to be a sergeant, and now he has again been promoted to a lieutenancy.