JOHNSTON, PTE. HERBERT J.
Herbert Richard Johnston was born December 23, 1892 in Lount Township to William and Sarah J. Johnston.
At the time of the 1901 census, the family continued to live in Lount Township.
At the time of the 1911 census, Herbert was identified as a lodger with James and Sarah Rousell in Ryerson Twp.on Lot 25, Concession 11.
In his Attestation papers signed March 29, 1916 Herbert identified his next of kin as his father W.J.Johnston in Wattenwye, Ontario. He identified that he too lived at Wattenwye and that he was a farmer.
In his Discharge Certificate, Herbert was identified as having enlisted in the 162nd in Sundridge on March 29, 1916. He was identified as having served in France with the Pioneers and Engineers and to have received the Military Medal.
He was discharged March 30, 1919.
Herbert Richard Johnston arrived in England on November 11, 1916 on the S.S. Caronia.
He was initially transferred to the 36th Reserve Battalion and then the 3rd Reserve Battalion
He embarked for France in March 1917 and in May became an Acting Lance Corporal with the 123 Battalion of the Canadian Engineers.
In March of 1918 he was promoted to Lance Corporal with the 123rd . In April he was appointed Corporal and in May he was appointed A/Sergeant.
In August he was confirmed as Sergeant and received the Military Medal.
The 123rd Battalion, Royal Grenadiers, CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Based in Toronto, Ontario, they began recruiting in November 1915. After arriving in England, they continued to train as an infantry battalion for several months, but just before mobilizing to France in January 1917, the battalion was redesignated the 123rd Pioneer Battalion, Royal Grenadiers, CEF.
On January 17, 1917, five months after arrival in England, the battalion was repurposed as a pioneer battalion and redesignated as the 123rd Pioneer Battalion, Royal Grenadiers, CEF, but continued to report through the 3rd Infantry Division commanded by Major General Louis James Lipsett. While most of the other Canadian Pioneer Battalions reported through the Canadian Engineers, the 123rd (and 124th) continued to report through the infantry organization. They commenced training as pioneers, under the guidance of a major of the British Pioneers. Many of the original members were fully trained as infantry soldiers and later as pioneers.
The 123rd Battalion was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Bernard Kingsmill, who was the Commanding Officer of the 10th Royal Grenadiers at the time the 123rd Battalion was authorized on November 12, 1915, until May 25, 1918, when the battalion reorganized as the 3rd Canadian Engineer Brigade, comprising the 7th and 8th and 9th Canadian Engineer Battalions.[2] Second in Command of the 123rd Battalion was Major Charles Armel Boone who had previously served in the British Armed Forces in Africa where he attained the rank of Major. Major Charles Armel Boone attended Upper Canada College in Toronto, RMC in Kingston and was an engineering graduate from the University of Toronto. Throughout 1917 and into mid-1918, the 123rd Battalion absorbed large contingents of reinforcements, primarily from the 180th Battalion, 129th Battalion, 3rd Canadian Pioneer Battalion and 3rd Reserve Battalion, and others.
In many cases the 123rd Battalion served with front line troops,[1] and in fact, in front of the front line troops, to install barbed wire, improve roads, and establish battlements, fortification and dugouts for the front-line infantry troops to use and occupy. They suffered many casualties. Among their principal roles was to install bridge works and build plank roads to facilitate movement of troops, artillery pieces, and supply columns; only to have the Germans shell the roads, requiring immense efforts to get Canadians to and from the front. Many soldiers were wounded or died while serving with the 123rd Battalion, and many officers and men were decorated for their courageous acts.
(Wikipedia)
