Johnson, John Gilbert
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | John Gilbert |
Surname | Johnson |
Gender | M |
Age | 24 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 25-01-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of George and Louise Johnson (née Gilbert) of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Husband of Ethel Johnson (née Graves), whom he married on 11 October 1941 at Hamilton. Father of Jacqueline Hazel Johnson, born 30 June 1942. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington III |
Serial Number | BK501 |
Markings |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 246. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 56 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/23626 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 92 |
Squadron | 16 OTU |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Terminal Building, Guernsey Airport, Channel Islands |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Metal Sculpture & Inscribed Metal Plaques |
Memorial Text | This memorial is dedicated by the people of Guernsey to the memory of those Allied Aircrew who lost their lives in Bailiwick Water 1939 - 1945 "They gave their lives for our freedom" |
Location | Village Churchyard, Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone & Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | Dedicated to the memory of British and Commonwealth Pilots and Aircrew of No. 16 OTU Bomber Command RAF Upper Heyford |
Miscellaneous Information
John was born on 5 March 1919 at Hamilton, Ontario. They were both born in St.Neots, Huntingdonshire, England and George was a Contractor. He had three brothers Sidney, Alfred and Stanley and one sister Lelia. He attended Queen Mary Public School, Hamilton 1924-1932 (general), Hamilton Technical Institute 1932-1935 (3 year mechanics course). He then spent a year at nightschool at Central Collegiate studying Physics 1935-1936, finishing at Hamilton Tech again, studying welding 1936-1937. His sport interests were basketball and swimming and competition baseball. His hobby books, music and woodworking. He worked at Ontario Plate Glass Co. at Hamilton as an apprentice 1935-1937, Dominion Glass Co. as a junior Draftsman 1937-1938. At Lloyd’s Glass Co. as a truck driver 1938-1940, and at National Steel Car Corp. as a Shell Machine inspector and Press Hand 1940-41. |
He enlisted on 12 December 1941 and after training embarked from New York on 8 July 1943. He arrived at 3PRC on 17 July 1943 and was at 15 (P) AFU on 3 August 1943 and 16 OTU on 2 November 1943. Sadly John was to lose his life on 25 January 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 25-01-1944 |
End Date | 25-01-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Upper Heyford |
Day/Night Raid | Day |
Operation | Granville |
Reason for Loss | One of four 16 OTU Wellingtons sent to bomb the small port of Granville, near Cherbourg. The Wellington is thought to have crashed in the sea off the Cherbourg peninsula |