James Bulmer Johnson VC (31 December 1889 – 23 March 1943) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces. He was a

Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the 2nd Battalion, The Northumberland Fusiliers,

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

, attached to 36th Battalion during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and 28 years old when on 14 October 1918 south west of Wez Macquart,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, he performed the act for which he was awarded the VC. During operations by strong patrols, Second Lieutenant Johnson repelled frequent counter-attacks and for six hours, under heavy fire, he held back the enemy. When at length he was ordered to retire he was the last to leave the advanced position carrying a wounded man. Three times subsequently this officer returned and brought in badly wounded men under intense enemy machine-gun fire. After World War I, Johnson served in the

Auxiliary Division The Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary (ADRIC), generally known as the Auxiliaries or Auxies, was a paramilitary unit of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) during the Irish War of Independence. It was founded in July 1920 by Major ...

of the

Royal Irish Constabulary The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC, ga, Constáblacht Ríoga na hÉireann; simply called the Irish Constabulary 1836–67) was the police force in Ireland from 1822 until 1922, when all of the country was part of the United Kingdom. A separate ...

. He died in Plymouth, Devon, in 1943 aged fifty-three, and was cremated at

Efford Efford (anciently ''Eppeford, Elforde'', etc.) is an historic manor formerly in the parish of Eggbuckland, Devon, England. Today it has been absorbed by large, mostly post-World War II, eastern suburb of the city of Plymouth. It stands on high ...

Crematorium, Plymouth.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the

Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland The Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland, formerly the Northumberland Fusiliers Museum, is a museum located within the Abbot's Tower of Alnwick Castle in Alnwick, Northumberland, England. History The museum was first established at Fenham Barra ...

Alnwick Alnwick ( ) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116. The town is on the south bank of the River Aln, south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish bor ...

, Northumberland.

Memorial

In 2018, on the hundredth anniversary of Johnson's VC award, a memorial erected by Widdrington Station and Stobswood Parish Council and

Northumberland County Council Northumberland County Council is a unitary authority in North East England. The population of the non-metropolitan unitary authority at the 2011 census was 316,028. History It was formed in 1889 as the council for the administrative county of N ...

, and provided by the

Department of Communities and Local Government The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), formerly the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for housing, communities, local government in ...

, was unveiled at

Widdrington Station Widdrington may refer to: ;Places *Widdrington, Northumberland, place in Northumberland, England *Widdrington railway station Widdrington is a railway station on the East Coast Main Line, which runs between and . The station, situated north o ...

. A dispute subsequently arose over the siting of the memorial stone. Widdrington Station and Stobswood Parish Council asserted that Johnson was born in Stobswood on 31 December 1889, and used the name "James Bulmer Johnson". However a local resident, and Widdrington Village Parish Council, claimed that Johnson was born in 1882 at the then Widdrington Colliery, and had no middle name. The latter parish council requested the memorial be moved to their parish. The County Council defended the location and details on the memorial stone, and referred the matter to the

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), formerly the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, department of Government of the United King ...

References

Monuments to Courage David Charles Harvey (29 July 1946 – 4 March 2004) was a historian and author. He is notable for his seminal work, ''Monuments To Courage'', which documents the graves of almost all recipients of the Victoria Cross, a task that took him over 36 ...

(David Harvey, 1999) *

The Register of the Victoria Cross ''The Register of the Victoria Cross'' is a reference work that provides brief information on every Victoria Cross awarded until the publication date. Each entry provides a summary of the deed, along with a photograph of the recipient and the fol ...

(This England, 1997) *

VCs of the First World War - The Final Days 1918 ''VCs of the First World War'' is a series of books that list the Victoria Cross recipients of the First World War. The series consists of 13 books written by four different authors, first published under the label Sutton Publishing Limited, part ...

(Gerald Gliddon, 2000)

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
''(Devonshire)'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, James Bulmer 1889 births 1943 deaths People from Widdrington, Northumberland Royal Northumberland Fusiliers officers British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross British Army personnel of World War I Royal Irish Constabulary officers British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from Northumberland