This is an account of the Career history of WO1(Cdr) Ben Johnson RAOC, with information supplied by his son, Geoff. Ben was Mentioned in Despatches twice. His service career spanned a wide range of operational theatres of War. He was commissioned in 1960.
- Enlisted 1 ESSEX Oct 34
- Nov 35: Embarked for Overseas
- Dec 35-Mar 36: Egypt
- Mar 36-Feb 37: Sudan
- Feb 37-Jan 38: Palestine
- Jan 38-Jul 38: Egypt
- Jul 38-Sep 38: Palestine
- Oct 38-Jan 40: Egypt (Ismailia [Suez])
- Jul 39: L/Cpl
- Jan-Dec 40: Sudan (Operational Service)
- Dec 40-Feb 41: Palestine
- Feb 41: Abyssinia
- Mar-Apr 41: W Force (Operational Service Mar-Apr 41)
- Feb 41: Sgt (whilst with W Force in Greece)
- Apr 41-Oct 42: Egypt
- Mar 42: attached IAOC
- May 42: BOWO 5 Div
- Jun-Oct 42: HQ 5 Div Western Desert (Operational Service: Alamein Jul-Oct 42)
- Oct 42-May 43: Iraq
- Feb 43: Posted 161 Bde (5 Div) as P/A/S/Cdr;
- May 43-Oct 43: India still ESSEX but attached I/RAOC
- Oct 43-Oct 44: Burma still ESSEX but attached I/RAOC
- Feb 44: W/S/Cdr WO1;
- Oct 44: Transferred to RAOC then attached IAOC;
- Oct 44-Sep 45: Burma – HQ 5 Div/161 Bde: Arakan/Kohima/Tiddim/Pegu Yoma (India & Burma)
- Aug-Nov 44: 2x Mentioned In Dispatches: (Tiddim Road) (London Gazette Sep 45 and Sep 46). Tiddim Road was where the the Japanese 33rd Div cut the road behind the 17th Indian Division in March 1944, during the Battle for Imphal, and where they subsequently established a supply dump which was heavily bombed by the RAF. (IWM)
- Jun 45: posted to HQ 5 Div
- Sep 45-Nov 45: Singapore (for Japanese surrender)
- Nov 45-May 46: Java – disarming & repatriating the Japanese, along with quelling Indonesian insurrection against the Dutch in their battle for Independence, until Dutch forces were available in theatre.
- May 46-Apr 48: India
- Jan 47: P/A Cdr WO1
- Aug 47: reverted RAOC W/P/A Cdr WO1
- Apr 48-Sep 50: 26 Coy RAOC W/S/WO1 (S/Cdr)
- Sep 50-Aug 54: 7 FOD (KL)
- Feb 52: Appointed Conductor
- Apr 52 Substantive WO1 (Cdr)
- Aug 54-Jun 58: HQ RAOC NWD (Fulwood)
- Jun 58-Sep 60: 30 Bn RAOC Singapore
- Sep 60 443 BOD Aldershot (on commissioning)
- Mar 63 Deceased: buried at St Barbara’s Garrison Church, Deepcut.
MPC
Jun 2020
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