| Regimental number | 726 |
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland |
| School | State School, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Age on arrival in Australia | 12 |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
| Occupation | Traveller |
| Address | c/o J G Balsillie, Controller of Wireless, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 36 |
| Height | 5' 4.5" |
| Weight | 150 lbs |
| Next of kin | Brother, George Johnston, GPO, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Previous military service | Served in the 'Colonial Forces'. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 6th Battalion, F Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/23/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A20 Hororata on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Corporal |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 58th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fromelles, France |
| Age at death | 44 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 44 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 14), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 165 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Peter and Elizabeth JOHNSTON; Wife: Agnes JOHNSTON, Frances Street, Lindfield, New South Wales. Native of Glasgow, Scotland |
| Family/military connections | Nephew: 1721 Pte William Arthur CRAMB, 7th Field Ambulance, killed in action, 26 August 1916. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, 5 April 1915. Found guilty, Lemnos, 31 October 1915, of urinating in the Lines: awarded 2 days' Field Punishment No 2. Disembarked Alexandria, ex-Lemnos, 7 January 1916. Transferred to 58th Bn, 17 February 1916; taken on strength of 58th from 6th Bn, 17 February 1916. Promoted Lance Corporal, Tel el Kebir, 15 March 1916. Promoted Corporal, 10 June 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Posted missing, 19 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 1 September 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'. Handwritten note on B.103, 'Buried in vicinity of Fleurbaix'. Note, Red Cross File No 1450802: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills 10.10.19.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, JOHNSTON William
Red Cross file 1450802 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
