Johnson James Meston Pte 4459389
Personnel Entry
Name Johnson James Meston
Army number 4459389
Rank Private.
Decorations None known beyond Service Awards.
Date of birth Born 12/10/1917.
Age 59 at the time of his death.
Unit Enlisted in The Durham Light Infantry at Darlington on 17/1/1940. Posted to the 12th Battalion DLI. Transferred to the Black Watch 1/2/1940 and posted to the 1st Tyneside Scottish. Served with the B.E.F. in Northern France. Wounded and taken Prisoner of War - probably 20/5/1940, although the exact date is not recorded. Repatriated as part of a group of wounded to the UK. Discharged under King's Regulations 1940 Para 390 (xvi) 1/9/44 as unfit for further service due to the severity of his injury.
Company/Battery C Company.
Platoon or other sub-unit Not yet known.
Task or role Not known but probably Rifleman.
Joined Brigade 17/1/1940.
Promotions None known.
Wounded Yes - right arm injured in the battle for Ficheux and Mercatel and subsequently amputated.
Prisoner of War Yes - held in Stalag VIII B, PoW Number 37.
Died/Killed in action Date of death 23/1/1977 aged 59.
Home address Father - William Charles Johnson (1873 - 1958). Mother Annie Meston (1877 - ? ). Lived at 52, Hawes St. Newcastle 4. Worked as a time-served Painter and Decorator - a career to which he returned post-war, despite being right-handed and having lost his right arm. Married Sylvia Mary Bond at St Stephen's Church, Scotswood Road, Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Source table 1TS