MILITARY HISTORY
Private Joshua Johnson — Service Number C-72237 — ACTIVE SERVICE as a Sniper during (World War II)
Joshua Johnson was 24 years old and married with four children when he enlisted with the Midland Regiment of the Canadian forces on January 2nd, 1942, in Kingston, Ontario. He lived in Burleigh Falls, Ontario, and was born in Curve Lake, Ontario on July 25th, 1917. Joshua Johnson indicated that he had no previous military service and attended the United Church.
He began work at seven years of age, and his previous employment is listed as a logger, sawyer, trapper, and truck driver. He had no formal schooling but spoke English and Chippewa and had essential reading and writing skills. Joshua Johnson was 5′ 8 1/2″ tall, 42” chest, with black hair and dark brown eyes, and weighed 184 pounds; he had a scar on his right knee and left thigh from an axe in a logging accident. Joshua Johnson’s wife was Mrs. Frances Johnson, who was named his next-of-kin at Burleigh Falls, Ontario.
Joshua had his Medical on January 3rd, 1942, in Kingston, Ontario, and was considered fit for (Overseas) duty. He enlisted as a Private (Pte) with Service Number 72237 and was assigned to the Midland Regiment, which eventually became part of the Hastings Prince Edward Regiment.
On May 2nd, 1942, he was hospitalized with pneumonia for 3 days. On May 5th, 1942, he was assigned to the 5th Canadian Infantry Unit.
Joshua began his basic training with the Winnipeg Grenadiers and was returned to the 1st Battalion of the Midland regiment on August 26th, 1942, as a fully trained infantryman.
In March 1943, he was notified that he had a son, Joseph Edward Johnson, but he was not granted leave to attend his birth. On May 13th, 1943, he embarked on a journey to Europe aboard the SS Samaria, arriving in England on May 22nd.
On June 12th, he was treated for an infected left index finger and diagnosed with cellulitis. He returned to his unit on June 21st. He was reassigned to the Prince Edward Hastings regiment on June 28th, 1943, where he took carrier (truck driving) courses. Still, he eventually performed duties as a Rifleman (sniper) with the Hastings Prince Edward regiment.
He served in Italy from May 1944 to March 1945 and Holland from March 1945 to June 1945. He was a Rifleman (Sniper) during the entire time he was overseas and was wounded five times in Italy. According to his commanding officer’s report, he saw much action during his military service during the war and wanted to return to the Pacific theatre with an anti-tank unit. Although Captain Sullivan approved his transfer request, the war ended before Joshua saw service in the Pacific. `
During the active conflict, Joshua Johnson served in the following actions:
He participated in the following battles.
CASSINO II 11–18 May 1944+
From the 11th to the 18th of May, Joshua fought in the Battle of Monte Cassino, also known as the Battle for Rome. This was a series of four military assaults by the Allies against German forces in Italy. Commencing on the 17th of January and concluding on May 18th, 1944, Monte Cassino and the Gustav Line defenses were attacked on four occasions by Allied troops. On 18 May, a Polish and British flag were raised over the ruins. The capture of Monte Cassino resulted in 55,000 Allied casualties, with German losses estimated at around 20,000 killed and wounded.
LIRI VALLEY 18–30 May 1944
After the Battle of Monte Cassino, Canadian troops were transferred to support the Battle of the Liri Valley (or Operation Diadem). The operation was launched on the 11th of May 1944. They made a successful, strongly opposed night crossing of the Garigliano and Rapido rivers. This broke into the heart of the German defenses in the Liri valley against strong opposition and drew in German theater reserves. When their position collapsed, the Germans fell back from the Gustav Line to the Hitler Line some 10 miles to their rear.
HITLER LINE 18–24 May 1944+
Joshua also fought at the Hitler Line. The Hitler Line was a German Army defensive line in central Italy. In May 1944, it was renamed the Senger Line after General Fridolin von Senger, one of the generals commanding the Axis Forces in the area. The name change was done at Hitler’s insistence to minimise any propaganda significance if the line was penetrated. This line was breached on May 24, 1944.
GOTHIC LINE 25 August-22 September 1944+
The next battle he fought in was the Gothic Line, which took place from 25 August to 22 September 1944. It was the last of Field Marshal’s lines of defence built along the summit of the Apennine Mountains. Under Hitler’s orders, the Gothic Line’s name was changed to the Green Line, as Hitler was concerned that if they failed to hold the line, they would not be able to use the name to glorify a German victory.
On September 3, 1944, an assault began at Misano Ridge. The town of Misano, a small village perched atop the ridge, was one of the many anchors on the Gothic Line. There was no major battle at Misano Ridge, instead, the next four days saw many battles between the attacking Canadians and the German defenders. It was not until the end of day on the 5th of September that the entire ridge was under Canadian control. However, subsequent frequent and accurate German mortar fire held the Canadians on the Ridge until the Battle of Rimini commenced.
RIMINI LINE 14–21 September 1944+
Despite numerous assaults, at the Battle of Rimini (September 13 through the 21st, 1944) the enemy line was breached but did not have a significant breakthrough, the Green Line held until the final Allied assault commenced in March of 1945. At Bulgaria Village, (September 15 and 16th, 1944) Joshua was again wounded. Also, during this period, the town of San Fortunato was captured on
Joshua was wounded in action, a blast from a shell, which buried him and received a concussion, also injuring his right lower leg, 17 days in the hospital
He was wounded in action (five other soldiers killed in the same event), remained on duty.
Joshuah was also injured in a fall crossing a fence during a night mission on October 13th, “derangement of right knee,” 5 days in the hospital, followed by surgery in October
LAMONE CROSSING 2–13 December 1944
The Lamone Crossing was also an important battle fought by Canada and it is considered one of the crucial Canadian victories that allowed for the liberation of Italy. As part of Operation CHUCKLE, this battle began on December 2 and consisted of 12 days of fighting through challenging terrain in the province of Ravenna. The region is crisscrossed by many rivers, with the Lamone River being the largest, many irrigation canals, and 30-foot-high dikes. To make matters worse, in November of 1944, the region had seen the highest amount of rain in the previous 50 years, resulting in significant floods. The terrain provided natural advantages to the defending German forces.
Joshua was wounded in action, on December 5th but returned to duty after treatment
On the evening of December 10, the Canadians crossed the Lamone River. The initial plan to use bridges to cross failed because the recent flooding had swelled the banks. With only enough boats to send one company at a time, Able Company secured the bridgehead and the other companies were quick to push forward. By late afternoon of December 12, the Canadians held a strong bridgehead, extending from the railway line to Boncellino. Their efforts proved to be a major success, and it highlighted the courage and tenacity of the Canadian troops.
NAVIGLIO CANAL 12–15 December 1944
The second-to-last major battle was the Battle of Naviglio Canal, which took place in Italy from December 12 through 15, 1944. After his recovery, Joshua was wounded in action and returned to the front lines.
The Naviglio Canal assault began the night of December 12. The Canadians met strong resistance along the canal 39 banks. Only two squadrons made it across, and fierce counterattacks splintered them into isolated units. Enemy fire prevented the reserve squadrons from even approaching the canal. To make matters worse, air support was unavailable due to poor visibility and the tanks could not reach this section. In that one night’s action, 21 of the regiment were killed and 46 captured. At the same time, the Lanark and Renfrew group was being held up by fire from enemy-occupied houses across the canal.
They resisted two days of pressure, suffering 38 fatalities. The situation would improve in days, when air and tank support became available.
The last battle of the Italian Campaign experience occurred immediately following the problematic but successful crossing at Naviglio Canal in the town of Fosso Vecchio, where stiff resistance meant many casualties. December 20th. Here our brave soldier was again wounded. Joshua was wounded in action when a blast perforated his ear drum, and he spent 12 full days in the hospital recovering from his wounds.
After the Italian Campaign, he was reassigned to Europe and eventually served in the liberation of Holland.
NORTH-WEST EUROPE, Holland Occupation
On May 9, 1945, he disembarked Italy and landed in France on May 11. He served in Occupied Holland, helping the civilian population, and expressed a desire to serve in the Pacific Theatre. He was returned to the United Kingdom on July 18th, 1945, and granted special leave of 30 days from July 27th, 1945. On the 25th of August, he was returned to Canada, where he was treated for lung damage he suffered during the war and discharged from service on October 19th, 1945.
He was awarded the following medals:
The 1939-1945 Star
The Italy Star
The France and Germany Star
The Defense Medal
The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp
The War Medal 1939-1945
Based on his Military File, Private Joshua Johnson served overseas from May 14th, 1943, to July 18th, 1945, serving in Italy, Northern Europe, and occupied Holland, and 299 days with the Canadian forces in Canada. 48 months in total with 38 months overseas. Private Joshua Johnson died in Civilian life on December 15th. 1971.
An excerpt from an article in Maclean’s Magazine by Barbara Ameil, September 1996:
”The Military is the single calling in the world with job specifications that include a commitment to die for your country. What could be more honourable”?
PERSONAL HISTORY OF JOSHUA JOHNSON JR.
Joshua Johnson was born in Curve Lake on July 25, 1916, the son of Ruth Chase and Isaac Johnson. The family moved to Burleigh Falls in the early 1920s. By the time Joshua was seven years old, his father was blind. His uncle Joshua Johnson took him under his wing and taught him his life skills taking him with him on the trap lines, hunting and fishing. One of his first jobs was construction, truck driving and iron work.
He married Frances Thelma Rozon in Young’s Point on November 26, 1936. Frances was born in Pincher Creek, Alberta on April 10, 1918, the daughter of Adilard Rozon and Margaret Montigue. Joshua and Frances made their home in Burleigh Falls. They had a family of eight children – Ruth, Shirley Ann, Joseph Edward, John, Dorothy, James, Margery and George Johnson. On January 2, 1942, Joshua went to Kingston and enlisted with the Midland Regiment of the Canadian Forces.
Joshua was an outdoorsman who liked to trap, hunt and fish. Joshua was an excellent rifleman and he was in his element when he was alone in the bush. That’s how he made his living providing for the family. Also, during the summer, he was a skilled fishing guide specializing in muskie fishing. He was an ironworker in the early 1950s and later worked for Miller Paving as a dynamite man on Highway #28 in Burleigh Falls. He also spent many years working for Francis Tedford, working the portable sawmill.
Sadly, Joshua was killed on December 15, 1971, while hitchhiking home from Peterborough. He slipped and fell on the icy road and tragically was run over by a car on the old Highway #28 near Lakefield. Frances Johnson passed away on October 19, 2005; both are buried in the Curve Lake Cemetery.
Joshua Johnson Jr. is remembered on the Veterans Memorial Plaque located outside the Church on the Rock in Burleigh Falls, ON.
FAMILY HISTORY OF JOSHUA JOHNSON
The paternal great grandparents of Joshua Johnson are Jane Keshigo and George Johnson. They were originally from Credit River and by 1845 they were living in Curve Lake and had two boys and a girl.
The maternal great grandparents of Joshua Johnson are Sarah Johns and Edwy Spencer. They were originally from Credit River, later moving to Curve Lake.
The paternal grandparents of Joshua Johnson were Isaac Johnson born in Smith Township in December 1836 and Sarah Spencer born in September 1847 at Rice Lake. They made their home at Curve Lake First Nation and Isaac made his living as a skilled fishing guide, hunter and trapper. They raised three sons – Isaac Johnson born in March 1876; William Johnson was born May 5, 1883 and Joshua Johnson was born July 12, 1885. William enlisted to serve in the fall of 1915 and brother Joshua and half-brother Alfred Coppaway enlisted in March of 1916. The three were in Halifax and went overseas together on the SS Empress of Britain on July 15, 1916. Joshua and Alfred returned home. William was killed overseas in January 1918 & is buried in Frances. Isaac passed away on June 6, 1914 and Sarah passed away on July 29, 1916; both are buried in the Curve Lake Cemetery.
Isaac Johnson was first married to Elizabeth “Eliza” Gray, daughter of Peter Gray and Betsy Jacobs. They were married in Peterborough on June 27, 1858 but there were no children from this marriage.
Sarah Spencer previously married Henry Cow of Hiawatha in Peterborough on November 7, 1866. He died young and there were no children from this marriage. On March 15, 1872, Sarah married Richard Coppaway of Hiawatha and they had a son, Alfred Coppaway. Richard died a short time after the birth of their son Alfred Coppaway. Later Sarah married Isaac Johnson.
The maternal grandparents of Joshua Johnson were John Henry Chase, born on October 15, 1855 on Grape Island, Prince Edward County, ON and Mary Ann Muskrat Marsden was born at Alderville First Nation in 1860. They were married in Alderville on December 3, 1880 and had at least one daughter, Ruth Anne Chase born October 13, 1887. Mary Ann Chase passed away before 1901 and John Henry died from cardiac failure on June 4, 1929. He is buried in the Alderville Cemetery, Alnwick First Nations, Northumberland County, ON.
The parents of Joshua Johnson were Isaac Johnson and Ruth Chase. Isaac was born in Curve Lake on March 25, 1876. He married Ruth Chase in Peterborough on July 17, 1907. Ruth was born in Alderville First Nation on October 13, 1887. They resided in Harvey Township and later moved to Curve Lake where Isaac was a well-known fishing guide during the summer and worked in the Lumber camp and trapped in the winter.
They had a family of six children – Ralph, Dallas, Joshua, John “Stanley”, Gerald and Vernon Johnson. Isaac passed away at Burleigh Falls on June 20, 1944, age 68. Ruth passed away in Burleigh Falls on May 19, 1972, age 84. They are both buried in the Curve Lake Cemetery, Curve Lake, ON.