Johnny Johnson (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Anthony Percival Johnson DSO
(died 12 June 1944), known as Johnny Johnson, was a British Army
officer.
Johnson was originally commissioned into the Suffolk Regiment
in the 1930s. He was commanding officer
of the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, British 6th Airborne Division
, during the Battle of Normandy
. He and his division parachuted into Normandy in the early morning of June 6, 1944 as part of Operation Tonga
. The 12th Battalion formed a defensive line south of the bridge at Ranville. On June 6 and 7th, the battalion defended the bridgehead against attacks by the 21st Panzer Division moving north from Caen. Many casualties were caused by heavy fire from enemy machine guns, mortars, artillery, self-propelled guns, and tanks. For his leadership during this defensive stand, Johnson was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Order
.
In the afternoon of 12 June, Johnson was ordered to hastily prepare his battalion for an attack on the village of Bréville
(currently named Bréville-les-Monts
). At 21:45, the battalion assembled on the start line near Amfréville
and an artillery barrage on enemy positions near Bréville began. Lieutenant Colonel Johnson was conferring with a group of senior officers when he was killed by a stray artillery round. Also wounded by the blast were Brigadier Hugh Kindersley
and Colonel Reginald Parker of 6th Airlanding Brigade and Brigadier The Lord Lovat
of 1 Special Service Brigade.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(died 12 June 1944), known as Johnny Johnson, was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer.
Johnson was originally commissioned into the Suffolk Regiment
Suffolk Regiment
The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the Royal Norfolk Regiment as the 1st East Anglian Regiment in 1959...
in the 1930s. He was commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, British 6th Airborne Division
British 6th Airborne Division
The 6th Airborne Division was an airborne division in the British Army during the Second World War. It took part in Operation Tonga, the airborne landings on the left flank of the invasion beaches in the Normandy Landings. It played a small part in the Battle of the Bulge and was involved in...
, during the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
. He and his division parachuted into Normandy in the early morning of June 6, 1944 as part of Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga was the codename given to the airborne operation undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division between 5 June and 7 June 1944 as a part of Operation Overlord and the Normandy Landings during the Second World War....
. The 12th Battalion formed a defensive line south of the bridge at Ranville. On June 6 and 7th, the battalion defended the bridgehead against attacks by the 21st Panzer Division moving north from Caen. Many casualties were caused by heavy fire from enemy machine guns, mortars, artillery, self-propelled guns, and tanks. For his leadership during this defensive stand, Johnson was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
.
In the afternoon of 12 June, Johnson was ordered to hastily prepare his battalion for an attack on the village of Bréville
Battle of Bréville
The Battle of Bréville was fought by the British 6th Airborne Division and the German 346th Infantry Division, between the 8 and 13 June 1944, during the invasion of Normandy in the Second World War....
(currently named Bréville-les-Monts
Bréville-les-Monts
Bréville-les-Monts is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. It was the location for the Battle of Breville fought by the 6th Airborne Division during the Second World War.-History:...
). At 21:45, the battalion assembled on the start line near Amfréville
Amfreville, Calvados
Amfreville is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France.-History:Because of its geographical position close to the coast of the Normandy landings, Amfreville was liberated on 6 June 1944.-Population:...
and an artillery barrage on enemy positions near Bréville began. Lieutenant Colonel Johnson was conferring with a group of senior officers when he was killed by a stray artillery round. Also wounded by the blast were Brigadier Hugh Kindersley
Hugh Kindersley, 2nd Baron Kindersley
Hugh Kenyon Molesworth Kindersley, 2nd Baron Kindersley CBE, MC was a British businessman, banker and soldier. His father was businessman Robert Kindersley, 1st Baron Kindersley GBE.Kindersley was born in Knightsbridge, London...
and Colonel Reginald Parker of 6th Airlanding Brigade and Brigadier The Lord Lovat
Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat
Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat and 4th Baron Lovat DSO, MC, TD was the 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser and a prominent British Commando during the Second World War...
of 1 Special Service Brigade.