William Horace Johns
Attended Sycamore Road and Huntingdon Street Schools. Worked with his father in the family's painting and decorating contractors' business.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
William Horace was the only son of Horace and Lucy Ann Johns (née Foote).
His father was born in Nottingham in 1884 and his wife in Buckinghamshire in 1883. They were married in Nottingham in 1907 and had three children: Constance Lucy b. 1908 (reg. JFM), Jennie b. 17 January 1909 and William Horace b. 25 May 1911. All three children were born in Mapperley, Nottingham.
Horace, a house painter and decorator (employer), his wife and their two daughters were livingat 46 Coppice Road, Mapperley, in 1911. William Horace was born later that year.
By 1921 the family had moved to 586 Woodborough Road, Mapperley. Their eldest daughter, Constance, died in 1922 aged 14 (buried 25 July).
Horace and his wife were living at 22 May Avenue, Wollaton, in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled. In addition to his civilian employment, Horace was an Air Raid Precautions Director(?). The couple were still living at the same address when Horace died on 6 January 1951.
Their daughter, Jennie, had married Walter J Griffiths in 1935 (reg. Derby) and in 1939 they were living in Shardlow, Derbyshire; Walter was employed as a millwright aero fitter. It is likely that the couple emigrated to South Africa, presumably after the war, as it was noted in a report of the death of Jennie's father that he had been on holiday in South Africa the year before his death. Also, her widowed mother was recorded on an incoming passenger list, Durban-Liverpool, in 1960. It is likely that Jennie died in South Africa.
William Horace had married Gladys E Bartram (b. 1912) in 1937 and they were living at 82 Sherbrooke Road, Arnold, in 1939. His occupation was given as house painter (employer) but he was also a member of the Arnold Auxiliary Fire Service.
William's widow married secondly Harry Turner in 1948 (JFM Nottingham).
Served with No.4 (C) Operational Training Unit, Coastal Command.
Lost In Aircraft: Sunderland III Flying Boat, Serial Number: ML738 . The aircraft crashed after a bad takeoff in snow showers from Dalmore Pier, Alness, Cromarty Forth, and sank.
Additional report: ‘Stalled after take off in bad weather and dived into the water off Dalmore Pier during a training sortie, 2 of the crew survived' (source: Airmen died in the Second World War)
Seven crew, two survivors:
185304 Pilot Officer, Flight Engineer, John Theodore Eshelby RAFVR. Buried Tenby (St Mary) Church Cemetery.
1197225 Flight Sergeant, Flight Engineer, William Horace Johns RAFVR. Buried Nottingham General Cemetery.
75709 Flight Lieutenant, Instructor, Francis Noel Johnston DFC RAFVR. Buried Longfleet (St Mary) Churchyard.
AUS416005 Flying Officer, Instructor, Paul Gotthelf Pfeiffer RAAF - Died of Injuries. Buried Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery.
Leading Aircraftman, Photographer, J. Scott - Injured.
AUS410797 Flight Lieutenant, Instructor, Robert Lance Webster RAAF - Slightly Injured. 179681 Flying Officer, Flying Instructor, Joseph Zita RAFVR. Buried Liverpool (Allerton) Cemetery.
Note: no trace CWGC of either Leading Aircraftman J Scott or Flt. Lieut. RL Webster so having survived this tragic accident they also survived the war.
William Horace's body was recovered for burial and he was interred in Nottingham General Cemetery on 17 January 1945 following a service at Wollaton St Leonard's.
William's father, Horace, may have served in the Royal Navy during the Great War as there is a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve service record for a Horace Johns, born Radford 28 June 1884 (1939 Register, 22 June 1884), occupation painter, who served on a 'Hostilities' engagement from 20 November 1916 to 15 January 1919 (demobilization). Service No. Z/5641 Bristol Division, accounting base Victory VI; Ordinary Seaman, Leading Seaman from 1 February 1918.
CWGC Additional information: Son of Horace and Lucy Ann Johns, of Wollaton.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Remembered Always. R.I.P.'
Nottingham Evening Post, 8 January 1945. Report with photograph: ‘Flight-Sergt. Wm. H Johjns, of Lynton, Sherbrooke-road, Daybrook, who died in a flying accident, was 34 and the only son of Mr and Mrs H Johns, of May-avenue, Wollaton. He was educated at Sycamore-road and Huntingdon-street schools, and before joining up in 1930, was engaged, with his father, in a painting contractor's business.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’. 9 January 1945: ‘Johns. Killed January 3rd, Flight.Sergt. William H. beloved husband of Gladys, only son of Mr and Mrs H Johns, and brother of Jenny.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’. 16 January 1945: ‘Johns. Flight-Sergt. William H., whose death previously announced, will be interred at General Cemetery, top, 12 o’clock Wednesday, January 17th. Service St Leonard’s Wollaton, 11.30.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Probate: Johns William Horace of 82 Sherbrook-road Daybrook Nottingham died 3 January 1945 on war service Administration Nottingham to Gladys Emma Johns widow. Effects £623 10s.
Nottingham Evening Post, 8 January 1951 (extract): ‘Death of Nottm. Decorator. Mr Horace Johns, for many years president of the Nottingham branch of the National Federation of Master Painters and Decorators, died in hospital on Saturday at the age of 67. He had not been well since returning from a holiday in South Africa at the end of last summer. A native of Nottingham, Mr Johns, who lived at 22, May-avenue, Wollaton, started in business on his own account in 1909, retiring last November. The firm of HJ Johns (Decorators), Ltd, will be carried on by his partner, Mr W Chapman … Mr Johns showed great interest in the work of the British Legion and only recently retired from the chairmanship of the Wollaton branch … Mr Johns leaves a widow and one daughter. A funeral service at Wollaton on Wednesday will be followed by cremation at Wilford Hill.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Probate: Johns Horace of 22 May-avenue Wollaton Nottingham died 6 January 1951 at The General Hospital Nottingham probate 3 March to Lucy Ann Johns widow. Effects £7045 19s.2d
Photo of William Horace Johns
CWGC headstone, Nottingham General Cemetery
William Horace Johns
Report and photograph, Nottingham Evening Post, 8 January 1945.