WW1 ROYAL NAVAL DIVISION ANSON BATTALION WOUNDED MEDALS KP656 JONSTON GALLIPOLI

Offered is a 1914 – 15 Star, impressed named K.P.-656. J.S. JOHNSTON. A.B. R.N.V.R.; British War and Victory Medals (1914-18), impressed named K.P. 656. J.S. JOHNSTON. A.B. R.N.V.R.; original ribbon bar missing pin. Comes with copies of service records, medal roll and war diary extract.

John Stanley Johnston was born on 5/11/1893 at Heaton, Newcastle. A coal miner by trade be he was living and working at the Horden Colliery, Durham, when he initially enlisted into the Durham Light Infantry on 25/8/1914 (service #19668). He enlisted/transferred into the Royal Naval Division on 10/9/1914 with the new service # K.P./656. He served with the 2nd Marine Battalion 10/9/1914 – 2/11/1914 joining the Anson Battalion 3/11/1914. It is possible that he was at Belgium in October 1914, but doubtful.

As per normal with the R.N.D. service cards they are light on exact dates & details. The next entry on his card is dated 16/1/1915 stating that he is on the nominal roll Anson Battalion. The Anson Battalion as part of the Royal Naval Division landed at Gallipoli on the 25/4/1915, the Battalion remained on Gallipoli until the evacuation and garrisoned Mudros. The next record on his card shows 12/5/1916 serving with the unit Mudros, an undated note records 'Detached from Anson Battalion' to Stavros. On 27/6/1916 with the unit to France.

He was badly wounded in action at Gavrelle (about 8 kilometres north-east of Arras) on 5/6/1917. The war diary records that on the 2/6/1917 the battalion took over the front-line trenches at Gavrelle. The diary records from the 3/6/1917 – 6/6/1917 ‘In reply to our hurricane bombardment the enemy reply was feeble”. Nevertheless, he received a GSW (Gunshot wound) to his arm chest and thigh. He was subsequently evacuated to England where he was subsequently discharged ‘Invalided’ on 9/8/1918 due to GSW right upper arm, median nerve paralysis (inaction).

He emigrated to Adelaide, South Australia in 1920, his father already having moved there and where he resided until his death in 1955.