George Johnston

Killed in Action on the 08/11/1917 at the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele (part of the Battles of Ypres 1917)

The Royal Field Artillery "D" Battery were part of the 317th Brigade, On the 5th July 1916 the Brigade came under orders of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. George arrived in France on the 29/08/1915. He was Killed in Action at the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele, 26th October - 10th November 1917. This was part of the Battles of Ypres (Third Ypres), 31st July - 10th November 1917 - The British finally got what they had wanted since 1914 : the opportunity to attack at Ypres and breakout of the confines of the salient of trenches around it. Often known as the 3rd Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele, the offensive began with encouraging gains but terrible summer weather soon bogged it down. By August the offensive was clearly failing in its objectives and had descended into attritional fighting. New techniques by both sides led to agonisingly slow forward movement for the British, at enormous cost in casualties to both sides. Bad weather in October led to the battlefield becoming an impossible quagmire. SEE PHOTOS x 11 FOR THE 317th BRIGADE WAR DIARY OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1917 and PHOTOS x 15 FOR THE 63rd (ROYAL NAVAL) DIVISION BOOK 28th JUNE - 6th DECEMBER 1917. George is listed as DRIVER on the Coatbridge Memorial (according to George's Medal Index Card he was a DRIVER before becoming a GUNNER). George was at home in September 1916 suffering from shell shock after the Somme battle. See Newspaper clipping (1) for a letter home to George's mother from his Chaplain and his companion Gunner John Shepherd. George is also remembered on the Coats Parish Church Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for George's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report x 2, Duhallow Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery, the Royal Field Artillery Cap Badge, George's Pension Records x 3, Newspaper clippings x 5 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 2 and the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 1) and the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division Order of Battle x 15. George's grave inscription reads "HE FELL FOR FAITH AND LIBERTY HE DIED THAT THOSE HE LOVED MIGHT LIVE".