Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : Acting Corporal

Army Number : 16915

Unit : 7th Bn

Biography :

Enlisted at Leicester. Served with the 7th Battalion during World War One. Killed in action France and Flanders campaign 24.12.1917. The 1914-15 Star awarded to Private Johnson is in collection of Leicester City Museums Service.

Albert’s war came to an end on 24.12.1917 when the Battalion was at Épehy as a support unit, the men sheltering in the cellars of the buildings in the village. The Diary WO (War Office) 95-21642_1 page 100 shows that a 5.9 inch German gas shell landed on one of the houses at 05:30 hours on 24.12.17, killing 11 by being gassed and wounding 21 men. He was initially buried in a makeshift graveyard at 62c.b.7.3.8 but was moved on 06/08/1919 to Épehy Wood Cemetery. The WW1 grid reference is 62c.F.7.b.3.8 of the Trench Map site which puts the original burial in a field south of the village of Épehy. Albert left a widow, Clara Elizabeth and three sons, John William, Walter Albert and Harry.

CWGC:

JOHNSON, A
Rank: Corporal
Service No: 16915
Date of Death: 24/12/1917
Regiment/Service: Leicestershire Regiment 7th Bn.
Grave Reference: III. J. 13.
Cemetery: EPEHY WOOD FARM CEMETERY, EPEHY

Some information from a private source.

Date of Birth : 15.5.1887

Place of Birth : Leicester

Date of Death : 24.12.1917

Place of Death : Epehy, France

Civil Occupation : Foundry Labourer

Period of Service : 1910s

Conflicts : WW1

Places Served : France