Robert Johnson was born on the 20th November 1919, in Connah’s Quay, (According to the Family History of BLAIN FAMILY HISTORY (Simon Blain, Conway, Wales.) the son of Robert & Mary Johnson (nee HUTTON).
Mary Hutton, Robert Junr.’s mother came from a Connah’s Quay Maritime family who had suffered great losses throughout the 19th and 20th century. She was the daughter of Richard and Sarah Elizabeth Hutton, please read her brother Robert Hutton’s story as he died 12th November 1941 in the River Dee by enemy action, and her brother David’s son, David Hutton’s story, he died on the 21st September 1943 and is buried in Salerno, Italy, please click on the link to read his story.
Children of Richard and Sarah Elizabeth Hutton (nee MARROW); Brothers, Robert Hutton (husband of Bessie Hutton (nee HUGHES), of Connah’s Quay, died WW2) & David John Hutton (husband of Ida Annie (nee DREW)– their son, David HUTTON died WW2) and sister Mary HUTTON, who married Robert JOHNSON (also lost a son, Robert JOHNSON, in WW2)and sister Sarah Elizabeth HUTTON, who was married to Frank JONES in October 1910, – Frank drowned in mysterious circumstances* and widowed within 4 months in 1911), Another brother William HUTTON died in 1941 in Chester, age 40 years, (Cause unknown- see newspaper cutting – Not on CQ Memorial).
* (Jan Lettens 29/03/2014)
On January 17th, 1911, the British wooden schooner FANNY FOTHERGILL, built in 1865 and owned T. C. Cooper T. C. departed Falmouth for Llanelly with a cargo of scrap iron and went missing. She has not been heard of ever since.)
Robert Johnson and Mary Hutton had married on the 25th December 1918 in St. Mark’s Church, Connah’s Quay, and according to the Parish Registers, Robert was 25 years old and was in the R.W.F. as a Sergeant Major and his address was given as Church Road, Norwich, incidentally from where his late father Enoch, a Soldier, had been born. Mary was age 19 and her address was given as 12, Church Road, Connah’s Quay and her father was Richard Hutton, Master Mariner.
The first time we see Robert Johnson (Jnr.) is on the 1921 census which was taken on the night of the 19th of June 1921, where he is staying with his mother Mary at her parent’s house, 12, Church Road, Connah’s Quay. Richard Hutton was now age 61 years and 7 months, he was a Ship Chandler employed by T. Coppack & Co., Ship Agent & Chandler, Connah’s Quay and was a Shop Assistant. Sarah Elizabeth, his wife, was now 51 years and 6 months. Their son William Hutton, was now 20 years 2 months old, single and a Mariner with T. Coppack & Co., his sister Doris Hutton was 17 years 2 months old, single and an Apprentice with Miss Richards, Costumier, James Hutton was still at school and now aged 14 years 8 months old. Their daughter Mary Johnson was married now and 22 years 5 months old, her son Robert Johnson, was 1 year 7 months old and had been born in Connah’s Quay.
Robert was a pupil at Hawarden Grammar School and the Admissions Register E/GS/1/10 tells us :-
1557/2151 JOHNSON, Robert Date of birth – 10th November 1919*, Homedown, Wepre Drive, Connah’s Quay, date of Entry – 15th September 1913, Father – Engineer, Mold Rd. Cl., Sch. £3, T. 2.0.0., Bks 10/-Date of leaving 27th July 1934 – (I cannot decipher the writing so this is a guess! – Serg. Plumber?? – I know that he joined the Grenadiers Guards 7 years before he was killed in 1944, so he could have been a plumber before that.)
*Slight variation the date of birth to the Blain Family Tree above.
As previously said Robert Johnson, Jnr., was born in 1919 (Flintshire (Mold) FLNT/55/87) but I have no clue to his early life, except to say that on the 1939 Register, his parents, Robert and Mary, are listed, living at 29 Wepre Park, Connah’s Quay,his father Robert being a Police Constable, but there are 3 redacted records, so I don’t know if that would have been Robert (Junr.) although it looks as though he was already in the Grenadier Guards, according to the Newspaper cutting of his marriage to Gwyneth Jones. His sister Joycelyn could have been one of the redacted names.
Shotton Marriage (St. Ethelwold’s Church)
Page 123 21st September 1942 Robert JOHNSON, 22, Bachelor, Sergeant Grenadier Guards, Homedown, Wepre Drive, Connah’s Quay, Robert JOHNSON, Policeman & Gwynedd JONES, 23, Spinster, “Ashdead”(sic), Chester Close, Shotton, William John JONES, Ironworker (dec.) (After Banns)
Witnesses:- Victor Leonard ALLEN, Glenys JONES & J.M. JOHNSON.
There is a lovely description in the newspaper of the wedding, only 2 years before Robert is killed in Action, dying of wounds received.
There are some Casualty Lists that give an idea of what Robert (Junr.) went through, the first one (No. 1534, Page 31) states that the date of the Casualty was the 2nd August 1944. Casualty List (No. 1556, Page 17) Previously reported Wounded now reported Died of Wounds, Robert (Jnr) died on the 3rd August 1944.(Previous List No. 1534).
Robert was originally buried at FRESNOY, France(Place & Map reg. – Sh. 5 1/250000 N 5607), but was reburied at LONGUEVAL (LONDON HIGHWOOD) Cemetery on the 4th December 1946. (see Grave Concentration Report Form on CWGC –in folder).
His death was reported in the Chester Chronicle 30th September 1944.
On the 1939 Register, which was taken on the 29th September 1939, living at 33 Chester Close, Shotton was Gwynedd’s parents William John & Daisy Minnie Jones and sister Glenys, with one record redacted, but with her sister mentioned, Glenys was a witness to the marriage of Robert & Gwyneth. Was the redacted record Gwyneth, this would have to be investigated, but has to be done with proof, by, I would imagine family.
I believe that Gwynedd’s father William J. Jones died in 1940 and her mother Daisy Minnie Hannah Jones, age 47, 37, Chester Road, Shotton, remarried on the 3rd August 1942 to Richard John Thomas, 53, a Bachelor, 37, Chester Close, Shotton, a Steelworker whose father John Thomas (Dec.) had been a Boat Builder.
Chester Chronicle 30th September 1944 Gdsman Robert JOHNSON (25) Chester Close, Shotton DOW France
DIED FROM WOUNDS – Mrs Johnson, Chester Close, Shotton, has been informed that her husband, Guardsman Robert JOHNSON, aged 25, of the Grenadier Guards, had died from wounds in a military hospital in France on September 3rd. He had been in the Guards for seven years. He was the son of P.C. JOHNSON, Wepre Drive, Connah’s Quay.
Gwynedd Johnson (nee Jones) possibly remarried in the March Quarter of 1949 in a Civil Ceremony at Hawarden (Flintshire (Mold) HAW/19/53).
His family made sure he would be remembered by adding his name to the memorial.
