Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The outstanding Second World War ‘St Valery-en-Caux 1940’ D.S.O., ‘Waziristan 1924’ operations M.B.E., Great War ‘East Africa’ operations M.C. group of ten awarded to Major G. S. Johnson, 7th Battalion, The Royal Norfolk Regiment, late Indian Army, captured in June 1940 he remained a prisoner in Germany until the end of the war

Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse of the suspension bar officially dated ‘1945’; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 1st type breast badge, silver, hallmarks for London 1919; Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse privately engraved, ‘Capt. G. S. Johnson, 61th [sic] K.G.O. Pioneers, East Africa 1914 to 1918’; 1914-15 Star (2/Lt. G. S. Johnson, 1/61/Pionrs.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Capt. G. S. Johnson); India General Service 1908-35, 3 clasps, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919, Waziristan 1921-24, Burma 1930-32 (Capt. G. S. Johnson, 1/61/Pnrs.); India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1936-37 (Major G. S. Johnson, 1-10 Baluch R.); 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45, clasp back straps on the India General Service Medals removed for the purposes of mounting, surname on the Victory Medal officially corrected, otherwise generally very fine or better (10) £4000-5000

D.S.O. London Gazette 11 October 1945:
‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Field.’

M.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1924.

M.C. London Gazette 27 July 1918:
‘For distinguished service in connection with Military Operations in East Africa.’

Gordon Saffery Johnson was born in London in November 1890 and was first commissioned on the Unattached List, Territorial Force in July 1912. Having then attended university, he was appointed to the Indian Army in January 1914, and was serving as a Lieutenant in the 61st King George’s Own Pioneers by the year’s end.

It was in the same capacity that he embarked for East Africa, where the 61st Pioneers formed part of Major-General A. B. Aitken’s Indian Expeditionary Force ‘A’ and first went into action at Tanga in November 1914. In 1915 Johnson was recruited onto the Intelligence staff and served as aide to the infamous Colonel Richard Meinhertzhagen until August 1916. He remained actively employed in East Africa until February 1918 and was awarded the M.C. and mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 7 March 1918).

Subsequently employed in the Third Afghan War and in the Waziristan operations of 1921-24, he was awarded the M.B.E. in respect of his services in the 1st Madras Pioneers in the latter year, in addition to gaining a further Mention in Despatches (London Gazette 30 May 1924).

Advanced to Major in August 1929, Johnson joined the 1st Battalion, 10th Baluch Regiment and witnessed further active service in the Burma operations of 1930-32 and on the North-West Frontier 1936-37. By the time of the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939, however - and having served as Administrative Commandant of the 13th Malabar Battalion at Cannonore - he was in the U.K. on extended leave.

Early in January 1940, Johnson took over as second-in-command of the newly-raised 7th Battalion, The Royal Norfolk Regiment, and went with it to France very shortly afterwards. The 7th Battalion was not evacuated at Dunkirk on 3 June 1940. It was part of the 51st Highland Division, the last complete division remaining in France, which continued to fight a rearguard action until forced to withdrew to another beach, St Valery-en-Caux, where they were to be collected. But no boats came to meet them, nor was there food or ammunition. Surrounded by the 7th Panzer Division under Rommel, the Division was forced to surrender on the morning of 12 June. Some 10,000 men of the division were captured along with thousands of French troops. Thus, of the whole battalion, engaged in Northern France, just 31 members of the 7th Norfolks returned. After capture, on the scantiest rations and in daily stages of 15 to 20 miles, there followed a fortnight’s marching, in endless, dusty columns, to cover 220 miles to the Scheldt, where barges were waiting to complete the journey to Germany. Major Johnson was latterly held at Oflag 12B at Hadamar. Upon his repatriation 1945 he was awarded the D.S.O.

Johnson died at Marston Hall, Martin, Kent in January 1977, aged 86 years; some of his papers relating to the East Africa operations are held in the Imperial War Museum.