SAPPER JOSEPH JOHNSTON
1042 – 3rd Tunnelling Company
Woodstock, Queensland was stated as the birthplace of Joseph (Joe) Johnston in 1892 the son of Robert and Rachael (nee McCoombs) Johnston. The family went to the goldfields of Western Australia and settled at Marvel Loch.
His father died tragically in 1911 with the circumstances reported in the:
His mother re-married and the wedding was covered by the:
In 1914 Joe was a miner at Marvel Loch, Yilgarn district.
At the recruiting depot at Southern Cross on October 31, 1915 the twenty-three year old miner applied to enlist for active service abroad. After passing the medical examination Attestation forms were completed and describe him as 183cms (6ft) tall, weighing 80kgs (176½lbs) with a chest expansion of 94-102cms (37-40ins). Complexion was fair with good vision in his blue eyes and had light brown hair. Religious faith was Presbyterian. Next-of-kin nominated was his mother Mrs Rachael Harford of Marvel Loch, W.A. He was sworn in on November 2, 1915 at Blackboy Hill camp, near Perth, W.A.
Basic training commenced on November 1, 1915 with the 34th Depot Battalion until November 4 then moved to “D Coy” 4th Depot Battalion until November 30 when assigned to the Mining Corps.
Recruiting for the Miners’ Corps officially began on December 1st, 1915 therefore Private Johnston was placed for basic training at the Helena Vale camp at Blackboy Hill, W.A. with the newly forming Corps.
The Unit’s title was the No. 3 Company with a major portion of No. 3 Company recruited by 2nd Lt. L.J. Coulter, A.I.F. who was sent from N.S.W. to W.A. for that purpose. They were made up to strength with 1 Officer and 274 Other Ranks and embarked from Fremantle, W.A.
On December 18, 1915 the company sailed for Sydney, NSW on board the troopship SS Indarra. His name appears on the passenger list which was published in:
On Boxing Day (Dec 26th), 1915 the Unit arrived in Sydney and marched into Casula Camp, near Liverpool, NSW. They were joined by the 4th Section of the Tasmanian Miners, bringing the establishment strength up to 15 officers and 349 Other Ranks under the command of 2nd Lieutenant L.J. Coulter.
Mining Corps Units from all Military districts came together at Casula camp, near Liverpool, NSW to complete training as a Corps. Johnston was assigned the regimental number 1042 in the rank of Sapper and remained in No. 3 Company.
At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.
The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.
Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.
Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.
On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.
The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.
The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.
Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.
A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.
Four sections of the No. 3 Company were dispersed to various sectors for instructional training.
On July 8, 1916 Sapper was sent to the No. 7 Casualty Clearing Station with a social disease and transferred on Ambulance Train 11 on July 11 to the No. 1 Convalescent Depot at Boulogne. Later that day was sent to the No. 18 General Hospital at Camiers. After twenty days curative care marched into the Aust General Base Depot at Etaples on July 22 for Base Duties there remaining until August 29 when he rejoined his unit.
Service continued without incident until April 1, 1917 when he was sent to the 73rd Field Ambulance with Mumps and transferred the following day to the 7th General Hospital at St Omer and returned to his unit on April 21.
Disciplinary action was taken for the following:
Crime:A.W.L. on 22/11/17 overstaying leave
Award:Admonished by O.C. and forfeited 1 day’s pay R.W.
He was issued with three Blue Chevrons to wear on his uniform for serving two years’ service overseas on February 20, 1918.
In an Audit of the Company on October 1, 1918 he was noted to be still with his unit.
He was mentioned in a soldier’s letter home which was reprinted in the:
Leave from France was granted from November 1 until November 21, 1918 and while away Peace was declared.
The Tunnelling Companies remained on the front as part of the Army of Occupation assisting with rehabilitation of their districts by clearing roads and bridges of booby traps left by the enemy.
Orders were received on March 10, 1919 to prepare for demobilisation and return to the Base Depot. The men departed the Aust Infantry Base Depot on March 17 and crossed the English Channel marching into the 2nd Training Brigade at Codford the next day to await their voyage home.
After demobilisation Sapper Johnston departed for Australia on June 1, 1919 on board H.T. Somali. Base Records advised his mother on June 20, 1919 that he was returning home. The ship docked at Fremantle (5th Military District) on July 8, 1919. News of the arrival was published in the:
Military Discharge was issued in Perth (5th M.D.) on August 30, 1918 on termination of his period of enlistment.
On February 23, 1921 Joe married Mildred Lilian Cameron in Perth.
Sapper 1042 Joseph Johnson, 3rd Tunnelling Company was issued with the British War Medal (8738) and the Victory Medal (8104) for serving his country.
These medals were not collected from the designated barracks and were returned to Base Records on September 30, 1924. A letter was sent on October 16, 1924 to him care of his last known address of next-of-kin.
Joseph (Joe) Johnston passed away on September 21, 1973 aged 81 years. Interment took place in the Presbyterian portion of the Kalgoorlie Cemetery on September 24, 1973.
Mrs Mildred L. Johnston died on July 8, 1978 aged 85 years and interred in the Presbyterian portion of Karrakatta Cemetery within Row EA in gravesite no. 237.
© Donna Baldey 2016
with the assistance of Chris & Rob Johnston