George Johnson with fellow colour sergeants of The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), 1912

Photograph, India, 1912.

Johnson (second right on back row) was a veteran of the Boer War (1899-1902) and a colour sergeant major on the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. After 18 years in the ranks he was commissioned in January 1915 and promoted to captain in June the following year.

On 1 July 1916 he was badly wounded during his unit's attack at Oviller-La Boisselle on the Somme, but survived and was invalided from the service.

From an album of 16 photographs compiled by George Johnson, 1905-1914 (c).