Armoury - New Zealanders at WarTe Kakano - Pacific Resource CentreLibrary Catalogue - Written & PictorialWebsite - Learn MoreLibrary Resources - Websites and DatabasesNatural History Information Centre
Click to go to the Advanced Search
View the complete list of Names
Click here for other Electronic Resources
 
Cenotaph Record
Refine Search Search Tips
Full Name
Ernest Richard Johnston
Rank Last Held
Sergeant
Forename(s)
Ernest Richard
Surname
Johnston
War
World War I, 1914-1918
Serial No.
12/381
Gender
Male
Place of Birth
Thames, New Zealand
First Known Rank
Sergeant
Next of Kin
Richard Johnston (father), Queen Street, Thames, New Zealand
Marital Status
Single
Enlistment Address
Queen Street, Thames, New Zealand
Military District
Auckland
Body on Embarkation
Main Body
Embarkation Unit
Auckland Infantry Battalion
Embarkation Date
16 October 1914
Place of Embarkation
Auckland, New Zealand
Transport
Vessel
Star of India or Waimana
Destination
Suez, Egypt
Nominal Roll Number
Vol1
Page on Nominal Roll
372
Campaigns
  • Egypt, 1914-15
  • Gallipoli.
Last Unit Served
Auckland Infantry Battalion
Place of Death
New Zealand
Date of Death
11 November 1919
Age at Death
29
Year of Death
1919
Cemetery Name
Tararu Public Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, New Zealand
Grave Reference
Section 130.
Biographical Notes
  • Son of Richard and Lucy Johnston. Born at Thames.
  • Served in Egypt, 1914-15, and at Gallipoli.
  • 2nd Cousin of William Butler Smith
  • A letter to his sister dated 23 April 1915 was published in the Thames Star in July 1915. Ernest describes his time in the Dardanelles fighting. After a fortnight fighting he was shot in the hand shattering bone and sinews connecting the thimb with the wrist, making a hole in the back of his hand. At the time he still had his thumb, but believed that it would be amputated.A Corporal Mills had written the letter for him.
  • Ernest returned to Thames to a "heroes welcome" and the Thames Star reported the details in a story called "Hearty welcome - ". It read: "A large number of friends were at the Thames South Station last evening to welcome back Sergeant E johnston. The Fire Brigade under Superintendent Stone, were also present to welcome their fellow fireman ..."
Description of Image
Portrait, WW1, Ernest Richard Johnston, in uniform 1917 (photo provided by family 2008)
Further References
  • Military personnel file listed at Archives New Zealand. Search http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz for information about this person's Military Personnel File. Use the Simple Search option.
  • Thames Star. (1915, April 23). "Hearty welcome".
Sources Used
  • Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume I. Wellington: Govt. Printer, 1914-1919
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission. URL: http://www.cwgc.org