Pte 1492 William Burton Johnson

[Tim Bell]

Pte Johnson (born  1/8/1893) enlisted in 5th Bttn at Wigan on 5/11/1912 and Embodied on 5/8/1914.  William did not serve overseas and was discharged unfit from 5th Bttn at Preston on 27/6/1915 with a SWB and Pension.  He was 50% Disabled by VDH originating Nov 1914, caused by Rheumatistic fever aggravated by strain of service(PR).  The Pension Card Specifies 20% Disablement Aggravated by service(PIC).  William had had 5 attacks of this fever since childhood, the latest in Jan 1916, including shortness of breath caridiac ?? and murmurs.  The Pension reviews to 5/9/1919 confirm continuing cardiac conditions( PR).
William died in Central Hospital, Liscard on 26/5/1920. Cause not specified. Registered in Birkenhead, 8a/649.
William had been a book keeper and lived at 4 Carlton Terrace, Milton Rd, Fairfield, L,Pool at Discharge. Parents Charles Herbert (Deceased) and Amy. Widow Lily, 118 Seaview Rd, Liscard.  It seems Lily received a Pension, but the card notes Entitlement not Admitted.  The couple had 2 children.
William probably died from a condition aggravated by service, but the underlying condition pre-dates service.  Hold case.

[mack]

his only brother pte 1491 charles,pratt johnson was killed at gallipoli on 7th august also 5th manchesters

[Gingerfreak]

Wigan Observer
WO - 04 September 1915 pg8.
Notification has been received from the War Office that private Charles Pratt Johnson, of the 1/5th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, and whose mother lately resided in Eccleston street, Wigan , was killed in action at the Dardanelles on August the 7th. Private Johnson, who was 20 years of age, and listed shortly after the outbreak of war, and accompanied the Wigan terriers abroad. He was the son of the late Mr. C Johnson of Wigan, and a grandson of Mr W Burton JP of Gidlow lane. He was employed before the war are Messrs Boots, cash chemists, Wigan, and was a keen amateur boxer, being well known in Wigan and amongst his fellow territoriales as no mean exponent of the fistic art

[PaulC]

A family tree on Ancestry states that he died from "Tuberculosis or Influenza(Spanish Flu)", but no source given.

Buried at Wallasey (Rake Lane) Cemetery, consecrated section 15C/53; burial record on FamilySearch: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-992H-F4RB?i=674&cat=1027047

Description of headstone and inscription: Small rough-caste stone, low pointed top, stepped square shoulders, white stone face, lying flat on its face. In loving memory of / William Burton JOHNSON / 1894 - 1920 / Also his dear wife / Lilian / 1889 - 1970

[Tim Bell]

Thanks Paul,
If cause of death was flu or TB, then this wouldn't relate to service and CWGC commemoration wouldn't apply. It's possible the DC would also refer to a heart condition but I'll hold this case for now.
Tim

[PaulC]

Pension card gives cause of death as "endocardtis, pericarditis, heart failure": https://www.fold3.com/image/669000559?xid=1022

Looks to me like it's been copied from a DC, so the family tree I refered to above may be mistaken.

[Tim Bell]

Thanks Paul,
I'm glad you're finding these extra WFA cards.  I assume they were published after I'd done the original trawl back in 2019.
The cause of death is different to VDH.  Do you think it's close enough to the symptoms referred to in the pension records?
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1114/images/MIUK1914A_119724-01058?backUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2Fcgi-bin%2Fsse.dll%3Findiv%3D1%26dbid%3D1114%26h%3D1007636%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26queryId%3Db656cff3ec0982d90dff3a307f6113c0%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DhMb4946%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26_gl%3D1*6gf9u0*_ga*NjY2OTc4NTg2LjE1MjEzOTM3NjY.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MTY3NTMyNDkxMS4yNjUuMS4xNjc1MzI4NTU4LjQ1LjAuMA..*_ga_B2YGR3SSMB*ZTI3OTYxMjAtYWNlOC00YzIzLWI1YjEtYjVmNzM3M2Q1YjQ0LjI0NS4xLjE2NzUzMjg1NTYuNDcuMC4w&ssrc=&pId=1007636
Tim

[PaulC]

If the DC says endocarditis then it looks good to me. You may want to run it by Terry, but it looks no different to half a dozen of my IFCP cases that have already been accepted where the disability was either VDH or DAH but cause of death was endocarditis.

[Tim Bell]

Thanks Paul,
I've compared notes with Terry and ordered the DC
Tim
DC confirms cause of death, location and NoK.

[PaulC]

Photo of headstone now on Find-a-Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/249150547/william-burton-johnson

[Tim Bell]

William Johnson was accepted for commemoration by CWGC today. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/75472789/william-burton-johnson/

[Tim Bell]

William Johnson's burial has been accepted at Wallasey (Rake Lane) Cemetery.