| Johnston | Horace James | | Captain | JOHNSTON, HORACE JAMES, Captain, was born at Brighton, Sussex, 30 January 1866, son of Francis John Jobnston of Dunsdale, Westerham, Kent, and Caroline, daughter of Sir Hardman Earle, 1st Baronet. He was educated by Mr Meyrick-Jones, at Yverdon House, Blackheath, London, and privately at Heidelberg and Paris, and joined the Militia Battalion, of the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment, as a Sub-Lieutenant, in 1886. He served in the South African War, 1900— 2, as Assistant Staff Officer to the OC, Western District, from 2 June 1901; operations in Cape Colony, south of Orange-River, 1900; operations in Orange River Colony and Cape Colony, December 1900 to April, 1902. He was mentioned twice in Despatches; received the Queen's and the King's Medals with four clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 31 October 1902]: "Horace James Johnston, Captain, Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". He became Captain, 1902, and Colonel, 1908. He served in the European War, commanding the 8th Battalion Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment from 1 January 1915. Colonel Johnston was reported as 'missing' in the action, at Suvla Bay 9 to 11 August 1915, and from private information received, there unfortunately appears to be no doubt that he fell in action on the 9 August 1915. On 28 April, 1904, at Carlow, Ireland, he married Florenw Hope, fourth daughter of William Brown Clayton, of Brown's Hill, County Carlow, and they had two sons: Francis William, born in 1905, and Patrick James, born in 1908, and a daughter, Hope Caroline.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | (Duke of Wellington's) West Riding Regiment |
