Medals to Great War Casualties from the Collection of the late Ian Livesley

Three: Lieutenant Colonel Cyril Benton Johnson, 1/6th Battalion, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment, who was wounded on the first day of the Somme, Commanded his battalion at the age of 26 and was mentioned in despatches on three occasions, prior to being killed in action on 21 September 1917

1914-15 Star (Capt., Notts. & Derby. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col.); together with original card boxes of issue and transmission slip, extremely fine (3) £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to Great War Casualties from the Collection of the late Ian Livesley.

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Despatches three times London Gazette 15 June 1916, 25 May 1917 and 21 December 1917.

Lieutenant Colonel Cyril Benton Johnson was born in 1890 and educated at Charterhouse and Christ College. He was wounded (gunshot wound to back) on 1 July 1916 at Gommecourt and returned to England where he was granted one months sick leave. He returned to the front and took over the command of his old battalion at the age of just twenty-six, being tragically killed by a shell whilst going up the trenches just in front of Loos on 21 September 1917. He died instantly and was buried at the little cemetery at Sailly-Labourse. Sold with a quantity of copied research, including pictures of him as Captain of the Charterhouse first eleven football team and school fire brigade.