Frederick Johnson was born in London, Ontario, on September 24, 1888, the son of James Johnson and Amelia (Julia, nee Cahill) Johnson, of 278 Rose St., Sarnia. His siblings included; Clifford, Charlotte May (born 1890) and Edward Norman (born 1895). Frederick enlisted October 9, 1915 in Sarnia, with the 70th Battalion. Single at the time, he recorded his occupation as a labourer. He became a member of the Army, Canadian Infantry, Quebec Regiment, 24th Battalion, as a Private.

In December 1916, Frederick mailed a letter from France to his brother Clifford, at 516 Christina Street. The following is that letter:

Well, I suppose you heard all about the Canadians down on the Somme. We had some hard fighting and we beat the Huns at every turn and I came out with the best of luck. We were a hard looking lot of fellows. We were mud from head to foot, but we don’t mind that as long as we are beating the Huns and taking his trenches. They won’t stand and fight with us for they don’t like the bayonet. I suppose old Sarnia is just the same old place.

Your loving brother, Pte. Fred Johnson

On April 9, 1917, Frederick Johnson would lose his life while fighting on the first day of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, France. Another Sarnian, David Kerr, would also lose his life in the same battle on the same day (also included in this project). Frederick Johnson was officially listed as, Killed in Action. At Vimy Ridge. In late May 1917, Frederick’s mother in Sarnia, would receive a letter from the 24th Battalion Chaplain, Captain C. Stuart. The following is a portion of that letter:

Dear Madam,

I am sorry to have been so long in writing to express my sympathy with you in the loss of your son, Pte. F. Johnson, No. 124029, of this battalion, who was killed in action on April 9th…. Your son as you know, was killed in the advance at Vimy Ridge and was buried there in a forward cemetery on the Ridge itself, side by side with his comrades. One can only express to you our deep sympathy and appreciation of the life and the noble example of your son. He was always so cheerful in his work and in his whole life as a soldier that he won a feeling of respect and esteem with both officers and men. His loss is one which we all feel, and yet how better can a man die than in defence of a cause which defends his home, his country and his God.

I always feel so strongly that these lads are continually in the presence of God, that when the end comes, he goes to meet them with hands outstretched, saying, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of the Lord.” For it is a good faithful service they have rendered, the same sort of service which Jesus Christ himself offered in His life, and death on the Cross. But one knows the sadness his loss must bring into your heart, and one can only pray that these may be also a pride and solace in the thought that he has lived and died as a Christian soldier… May God send you His Holy Spirit to comfort you in these sad days.                              

Yours faithfully, C. Stuart, Chaplain, 24th Can. Bn.

Twenty-nine year old Frederick Johnson has no known grave. He is memorialized on the Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.  On the Sarnia cenotaph, his name is inscribed as F. Johnston.

NOTE: Some sources spell his last name as “Johnston”, with the “t”. The spelling used in this project is based on Frederick Johnson’s own signature on his attestation papers.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, L, N, 2C, 2D, 2G