Pte 16913 James Redfern Johnston

• Age: 29
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16913 Private James Redfern JOHNSTON, 18^th Battalion KLR.

James Redfern Johnston was born at 9 Abbey Road, Liverpool on the 24th August 1886 (based on service record) and was baptised in the Parish of Walton-on-the Hill on 03rd November 1896. James was one of four children born to Isaac Smallwood Johnston, and his Canadian born wife Isabella Culley (nee Redfern), who married in St Simon’s Church, Liverpool on 17^th June 1882. Isaac was a 27 year old clerk, father Peter, whilst Isabella was aged 21, her father James a commercial traveller. Isabella Culley Redfern was born in Toronto, Canada where her parents James and Sarah(nee Worthers) Redfern were living. 

The 1891 Census shows the family still resident at 9 Abbey Road, Liverpool. James is 4 years old and lives with his parents and elder brother Thomas S. aged 7, who is shown as born in Canada. His father is a 31 year old shipping clerk, born in Blackburn, whilst his mother is 27 and advises that she was born in Canada. They also employ a servant, Frances E. Jones aged 20.

They still live at 9 Abbey Road at the time of the 1901 Census. James is now 14 and lives with his parents and three siblings. His father is now recorded as a Secretary of a public company, whilst his mother is 37 years of age. His three siblings are all recorded as having been born in Liverpool and are listed as; Thomas G. a 17 year old apprentice engineer, Mary H. aged 5 and Charles H. aged 4 months. They still employ a servant, Frances E. Jones now aged 30.

By 1911 the family have moved across the Mersey and are resident at 7 Drummond Road, Hoylake. James is not declared in the household.  His father, Isaac, is aged 51, a cashier to a general merchants, his mother Isabella is aged 47 and they advise that they have been married for 28 years and all four of their children have survived. They have two children living at the family home;  Mary Hilda aged 15 and Charles Herbert aged 10, both at school. . They still employ Frances E. Jones, now aged 40, as a servant.

James enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 02^nd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16913. He gave his age as 26 years 9 days, his occupation as clerk and his next of kin as his father of 7 Drummond Road. He was described as being 5' 5" tall, weight 148lbs, 35" chest, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His religion is stated as Church of England.  His next of kin was given as his father Isaac, of 7 Drummond Road, Hoylake

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain.

He sailed to France with his Battalion aboard the SS Invicta on 07th November 1915.

He was reported missing after the 01^st July 1916 attack at Montauban.  He was subsequently declared killed in action on that date. 

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.

James' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave being commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Soldiers Effects to father Isaac, no Pension record found.

James is also remembered on the West Kirby War Memorial which is located on Grange Hill overlooking West Kirby.

His sister's marriage was reported in the Birkenhead News  on 24th November 1917:

 His elder brother, Thomas Smallwood Johnston, enlisted on 03^rd June 1916 at Seaforth aged 35 years and already having a family of six or seven children. He was placed on reserve until mobilised with the 10^th (Liverpool Scottish) Battalion of the KLR on 31^st May 1918. He did not serve abroad.

As of May 1919 his siblings were; Thomas Smallwood Johnston aged 35, Charles Herbert Johnston aged 19 and Mrs Mary Hilda Tanner aged 23. 

His parents appear on the 1939 register at 24 Park Road, Isaac S., dob 17th March 1860, Isabella C., dob 12th Aug 1963, together with John H. Tanner.