Pte 51583 Harold Victor Johnson

• Age: 19
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 2nd July 1917
• Commemorated at: Perth Cem Zillebeke
  Panel Ref: II.C.26

Harold Victor Johnson was born 16th September 1897 in Liverpool and was baptised 5th July 1899 at St Dunstan's Church, Edge-Hill, Liverpool. He was the son of George Frederick Johnson and his wife Charlotte Elizabeth (nee Berrisford), of 18 Plan Street, Brunswick Road, Liverpool. They married on the 12th December 1896 at St Catherine's Church, Edge-Hill, Liverpool when George had his occupation as a wholesale butcher. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 16, Salisbury Road, Wavertree, Liverpool. His father ,George, is aged 26, born in Liverpool in 1875 and is a meat salesman, his mother, Charlotte is also aged 26 and was born in Chesterfield, she has no occupation listed. They have two children at home at the time of the Census, Harold Victor aged 3, born 1898 and Frederick aged 1, born 1900 and both were born in Liverpool. They also have a domestic servant Bertha Edwards aged 16, born 1885 in Liverpool. 

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 52 Garrick Street, Liverpool. Harold's father, George, is aged 36 and is still employed as a meat salesman, his mother, Charlotte aged 36 is out of work. They have been married for fourteen years and have had seven children of which three had died. They have three sons in the household at the time of the Census, Harold Victor aged 13, is at school, Eric George aged 4, born 1907 and Sidney Thomas aged 2, born 1909.

Harold enlisted as Rifleman 4344, joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment (Liverpool Rifles). He embarked aboard the SS Invicta from Folkestone-Boulogne on 14th July 1916, reaching the 24th Infantry Base Depot on 15th July. He then proceeded to the 11th Entrenching Battalion on 02nd August and proceeded to the 17th Battalion K.L.R. on 05th August and was posted from 05th September 1916 to the 17th Battalion K.L.R. as Private 51583.

He was killed in action on the 02^nd July 1917, aged 19.

He now rests at Perth Cemetery, Zillebeke, Belgium.

The cemetery was begun by French troops in November 1914 (the French graves were removed after the Armistice) and adopted by the 2nd Scottish Rifles in June 1917. It was called Perth (as the predecessors of the 2nd Scottish Rifles were raised in Perth), China Wall (from the communication trench known as the Great Wall of China), or Halfway House Cemetery. The cemetery was used for front line burials until October 1917 and contained 130 graves. It was not used again until after the Armistice, when graves were brought in from the battlefields and smaller cemeteries around Ypres.  There are now 1,426 WW1 Commonwealth burials in the cemetery.

An In Memoriam notice was placed in the local newspaper:

JOHNSON - In affectionate remembrance of Private H.V. JOHNSON, K.L.R., who made the supreme sacrifice July 2 1917 - Ever remembered by all at 63 Saxony Road. 

Soldiers effects to his father George F. and pension to his mother Charlotte E.

We currently have no further information on Harold Victor Johnson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.