Roll of Honour

Major (retd) Peter Johnson BEM, 1926 - 18th August 2024

The following was received via email from Peter's son Mike:

Peter joined the army as a sapper in Oct 44, first with 1 Parachute Sqn, (then part of 1 Airborne division) serving in UK and as part of the liberation of Norway. He then transferred in 1945 to 9 Airborne Sqn where he served in Palestine up to 1948, meeting his future wife from the ATS along the way.

The caption on the photograph reads: "Sapper Johnson liberation of Norway 1944"

He went on to join 68 sqn Gurkha engineers (then part of 50 Field Engineer regiment), travelling out to Hong Kong in 1952 and on to Malaya in 1954. He remained with 68sqn until 1957 gaining promotion to staff sergeant. Following UK leave, he was then a founder member of 69 sqn Gurkha engineers in 1961. In Nov62, he moved with 69sqn to Borneo and the uprising in neighbouring Brunei.

Peter subsequently completed tours in Junior leaders, 25 Regiment, was commissioned SSC 1967 in 2 Div engineers, 16 Field sqn Osnabruck and was 2IC of 1 Fortress sqn Gibraltar. His final tour was as SO2 in the Zaire training team.

Having moved 34 times in his army career, he finally retired in 1974 with the rank of Major, taking up a role as an Office Manager and Recruitment head for a leading accountancy company in Manchester. He remained intensely proud of his many years with the Royal Engineers and is survived by two sons Mike & Terry.