1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (British Army)
Died:
11/04/1917 (Died of Wounds)
Age:
Summary
Patrick was born in Cookstown but lived at Lislea, County Armagh. He enlisted in Armagh, joining the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers. On the morning that he was killed in action it was snowing. Their attack that day proposed an advance of 2,000 yards. They advanced through this and some of them got to within 200 yards of their objective before they had to retire. It was during this attack that Patrick was killed in action.
Further Information
Patrick Johnston was, according to military records, born in Clookstown, Lanarkshire, Scotland. As there is no Cookstown or Clookstown in Lanarkshire, it is assumed he was born in Cookstown, County Tyrone.
Patrick Johnston lived in Lislea, County Armagh.
Patrick Johnston enlisted in Armagh.
Private Patrick Johnston was serving with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers when he was killed in action on Wednesday 11th April 1917.
On the morning that he was killed in action it was snowing. At 9.00am the 1st Battalion were ordered to proceed to their assembly position, which was a sunken road running north and south and situated to the north of Fampoux. They were in position by 11.00am but unfortunately they had been spotted by an enemy airplane and the position was heavily shelled. There were many casualties from this shelling. Their attack that day proposed an advance of 2,000 yards. At 12.00 noon the attack commenced, and the troops advanced with great gallantry but were met with heavy machine gun fire from the north, south and in front. They advanced through this and some of them got to within 200 yards of their objective before they had to retire. It was during this attack that Patrick was killed in action.
Private Patrick Johnston has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in Pas de Calais, France.
