Harrogate Herald - 18th April 1917

W H Breare letter

The eldest Johnson boy, of Follifoot, has been home on leave, the first he has had in sixteen months. He is a Sergeant in a machine-gun company. About Christmas time he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery and devotion to duty. He has been through the battles of Festubert, Loos, Ypres, Somme, Armentierres, Vimy, and is now at Arras. He was anxious to be back before the battle of Arras, and I think he should manage it, as he left here on the Thursday before Easter. He has had many thrilling experiences and marvellous escapes. German shells seem to have done everything but wound or kill him. His machine-gun was shattered, his clothes torn to ribbons, but not one missile has touched him. I am told he attributes this to "luck", but we all know, in our hearts, that his safe-keeping has been in the hands of Providence. I am glad to hear the Norman Johnson, driver in the RFA, to whom I had the satisfaction of sending driving gloves, is safe, well, and as happy as a lark. The third boy of the Johnson family is also safe and well. I understand he was in the 2/5th West Yorks, when that thousand pairs of socks was sent out, and he was fortunate enough to receive two pairs. Some of the boys don't like to talk about themselves, so I must explain that this information has not been derived from either of the Johnson lads.

Harrogate Herald - 6th June 1917

Roll of Honour

The many friends of Private Donald Johnson, whose parents reside at 26 Grove Park Walk, Harrogate, will regret to learn that he has been seriously wounded with gunshot in the thigh at Kut, and is at present in the Freeman Thomas Hospital, Bombay. Private Johnson, who has two other brothers serving at the Front in the Canadians (Corporal Bert Johnson and Private Norman Johnson), enlisted in the South Lancashires at Warrington, where he was employed by Messrs Frisby, after having been with Mr Barber, boot and shoe warehouse, James Street, Harrogate.