Dudley Graham Johnson

Dudley Johnson
Born	13 February 1884 Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire
Died	21 December 1975 (aged 91) Fleet, Hampshire
Buried at	Christ Church Churchyard, Church Crookham
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1901-1944
Rank	Major-General
Unit	Second Boer War World War I World War II
Commands held	2nd Bn North Staffordshire Regiment 4th Division Aldershot Command
Awards	Victoria Cross Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order and Bar Military Cross

Major General Dudley Graham Johnson VC, CB, DSO & Bar, MC (13 February 1884 - 21 December 1975) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Military career

Johnson served with the Wiltshire Regiment in the Second Boer War.^[1] He transferred to The South Wales Borderers in 1903.

He was 34 years old, and an acting lieutenant-colonel in the The South Wales Borderers, British Army, commanding 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment during the First World War when the following deed took place at the Sambre Canal, France for which he was awarded the VC.

On 4 November 1918 at Sambre Canal, France, the 2nd Infantry Brigade, of which the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment formed part, was ordered to cross by the lock south of Catillon. The position was strong and the assaulting and bridging parties were halted on arrival at the waterway 100 yards from the canal by a heavy barrage. At this point Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson arrived and personally led an assault but heavy fire again broke up the attack. He reorganized the assaulting and bridging parties and this time effected a crossing but the success of this dangerous operation was entirely due to his splendid leadership.^[2]

Between the wars he held a number of instruction and staff posts before being appointed Commanding Officer of 2nd Bn North Staffordshire Regiment in 1928.^[1] He became Commander of 12th (Secunderbad) Infantry Brigade in 1933 and General Officer Commanding 4th Division from 1938 to 1940.^[1] He was replaced as divisional commander after Dunkirk and made GOC of Aldershot Command later on in 1940 before becoming Inspector of Infantry in 1941.^[1] He retired in 1944 and was Colonel of the South Wales Borderers from 1944 to 1949.^[1]

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the South Wales Borderers Museum, Brecon, Powys, Wales.

Family

He was married to Marjorie Grisewood, who died in 1950. They had one son and two daughters.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
2. ^ Battlefields

Further reading

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - The Final Days 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 2000)
• Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War, Nick Smart. ISBN 1-84415-049-6.

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Hampshire)

Military offices
Preceded by Clive Liddell	General Officer Commanding the 4th Division 1938–1940	Succeeded by Ralph Eastwood
Preceded by Sir Geoffrey Raikes	GOC-in-C Aldershot Command 1940 – 1941	Succeeded by Post disbanded

Persondata
Name	Johnson, Dudley Graham
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	13 February 1884
Place of birth	Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire
Date of death	21 December 1975
Place of death	Fleet, Hampshire