Johnson, Frank

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Frank Johnson

235231, Petty Officer, HMS Maidstone/Submarine E47, Royal Navy
Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action, 20 August 1917, aged 29
Body not recovered for burial  (Plymouth Naval Memorial)

CWGC registered (Son of Frank and Emma Johnson, of Llandudno, Wales; husband of Emma J Broadley (formerly Johnson), of Newsole Farm, Whitfield, Dover)

Frank Johnson’s parents, Alfred Johnson and Emma Johnson (née Adams) came from Staffordshire. They were married at Wolverhampton in 1876 and moved to Llandudno, living at “Anglesey House/Richmond House”, Church Walks – Alfred was described as a grocer’s porter in 1881. Their youngest son, Frank, was born on 4 July 1889 at Llandudno. The Census for 1891 records the family of eight living at “Anglesey House”, Alfred being described as a car driver. In July 1892, Frank was admitted to St. George’s National School, Llandudno. In 1901, Alfred was described as a driver groom.

Aged 16, Frank joined the Royal Navy on 7 November 1905 as a boy 2nd class”, his period of engagement being 12 years from his 18th birthday. From his naval record, it appears that he first trained on HMS Emerald, stationed at Queenstown (Cobh) in Ireland though he soon moved to Devonport where he rotated between various training establishments and sea duties. The latter included HMS Implacable in the Mediterranean Fleet (1907) and HMS St. George on the South African Station (1908). He attended HMS Defiance, a torpedo school, in 1909 and later duties included HMS Collingwood on the Home Fleet (1911), HMS Ajax on the Grand Fleet (1913) and the submarine depot ship HMS Forth (1912 & 1914).

On 15 December 1914, Frank married Emma Jane Miller (b Torquay 1891) at the Parish Church of St. John, Torquay. The marriage register records that his residence was HM Submarine C15 and his rank as able seaman. The following year, he was posted to the submarine depot ship HMS Thames stationed at Harwich. In 1916, he was promoted to petty officer and in 1917 was transferred to another submarine depot ship at Harwich, HMS Maidstone and the 9th Submarine Flotilla. One of the submarines was E47, laid down at Govan in May 1916 and commissioned in October of that year. E47 was lost with all hands, including Frank Johnson aged 29, in the North Sea on 20 August 1917. The wreck was discovered in 2002 about six nautical miles north-west of the Friesian Island of Texel. Divers concluded that the submarine had probably hit a mine though this has not been officially acknowledged.

Emma Jane Johnson married Herbert Broadley in 1919 in Kent; they had two children, Frank and Mary. See comment below.

Known memorials:

• Plymouth Naval Memorial
• Llandudno Roll of Honour
• Llandudno War Memorial
• Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno