Gordon Weston Johanson

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known 1895
Place of Birth	Broken Hill, New South Wales
Death	2 Oct 1918
Age at Enlistment	21 years, 2 months
Description	5'6" (1.68m) tall; weight 120 lbs (54.4kg); dark complexion, grey eyes, brown hair.
Occupation	mill hand
Religion	Methodist
Address	NOK No2 Railway Mill, Dwellingup, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Mr Carl Sander Johanson
Military Information
Reg Number	5382
Date of Enlistment	2 Mar 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 14th Reinforcement / 7th Brigade, 2nd Division
Date of Embarkation	7 Aug 1916 - 24 Sep 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A28 Miltiades
Fate	Killed in Action 2 Oct 1918 Montbrehain
Monument	Jarrahdale
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

On arrival in England he was sent to the 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone. While there, on 29 Oct 1916 he was charged with overstaying leave from Midnight 23 Oct till reporting at the Guard Room on 26 Oct 1916. Awarded 168 hours detention, forfeiture of 19 days pay.

On 16 Nov 1916 Gordon proceeded overseas to France from Folkestone aboard HMT Victoria. Before he joined his unit he contracted mumps and was hospitalised in the 24th (Étaples) and 16th (Camiers) General Hospitals from 3 to 23 Dec 1916.

Joined the 28th Battalion on 9 Jan 1917, but on 12 Feb 1917 presented with bronchitis to the 8th Field Ambulance. Sent on to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station, and when no improvement shown, was placed on the Ambulance Train for No. 1 General Hospital at Etretat on the coast north of Le Havre. By 1 Mar 1917 he was being treated for pleurisy, and was not released back to his unit until 21 Apr 1917. From September to November he was attached to the Brigade Sniper unit, rejoining 28th Battalion on 25 Nov 1917.

From 20 Jan 1918 until 6 Feb 1918 he enjoyed leave in England. Back in France, on 15 May 1918 he was admitted to hospital with influenza, being treated in turn by the 5th Australian Field Ambulance, the 61st Casualty Clearing Station, and on 19 May 1918 to the 1st Canadian General Hospital in Étaples. Transferred to the 73rd General Hospital at Trouville on 23rd before being released to an Australian Convalescent Depot in Le Havre on 31 May 1918. Released to the base depot on 13 Jul 1918, he rejoined the 28th Battalion on 21 Jul 1918.

On 1 Oct 1918 the 28th Battalion was resting near Templeux-la-Fosse. It was ordered into the line and marched north east through Bellicourt to reach the trenches about 3:00am onthe morning of 2 Oct 1918. Enroute shell fire had claimed the life of 1 other rank, and wounded 2 others. During the 2nd there were no further casualties as the battalion readied itself for an attack on enemy positions fronting the Beaurevoir Line on 3 Oct 1918. We are left to assume that the other rank killed by shellfire on the night before was Gordon.

• 

  Hargicourt British Cemetery photo courtesy Commonwealh War Graves Commission
• 

  Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Notes

Buried at Hargicourt British Cemetery, Sailly Laurett, 15 kms north west of St Quentin. Plot VI, Row J, Grave No 4. His death was report in Casualty List 446

Gordon's father Carl Sander Johanson died 10 Mar 1919 in the Pinjarra Hospital from severe burns.