William Johnson

Failsworth Tribunal 15 March 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 18 March 1916

William Johnson, a grocer's assistant of 17 [No. 70, ref WO 363 pages & Pearce Register] Wrigley Head, Failsworth, objected to any kind of military service. The teaching of Jesus Christ was contrary to war and, as a follower of Christ, he could not take part in this or any other war.

Chairman: How long have you held these convictions?
- Ever since I have been able to think things out for myself.
Lieutenant Pool: Do you belong to any church?
- Church of England.
Do you belong to the No-Conscription Fellowship?
- Yes
Councillor Johnson: You object to fighting anyone?
- Yes, war to me is murder.
Not even if they were killing your mother?
- I should stick to my convictions. I should do my utmost to defend her but without killing.
The Chairman: You would not take life in self defence then?
- No
Councillor Schofield: Not even if it was your life against his life?
- Such a position would never occur.
Councillor Schofield: You don't know.
- I should deal with it, if it did occur.
Lieutenant Pool: Cannot you answer the question; you have held these convictions a long time?
- I should not kill or murder under any circumstances.
Do you consider that is according to Bible teaching?
- Yes.
Have you ever heard that Christ said that he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one?
- Christ did not cause any warfare, therefore He did not know it.
Possibly the occasion never arose but that is what He said.

Johnson (quoting from the Bible) read a verse which finished with the words, "at that time thou shalt not kill."
Lieutenant Pool pointed out that he had not the slightest doubt Christ did not advocate warfare as warfare but they must acknowledge that it was right and proper to protect right and justice and that had to be done by warfare at times.
The Chairman said that they wanted to get at something practical.

Lieutenant Pool (to Johnson): Do you consider the Germans were doing right in laying waste to Belgium?
- No.
How do you propose to stop them except by warfare?
Johnson made no reply to this but answering further questions he said he was aware of what Germany had done but he did not believe in warfare. He was not prepared to take any life.
Lieut. Pool: Are you prepared to take advantage of other men who are laying down their lives?
- No, I have not asked them to do it.

The Chairman: Our soldiers are fighting to keep the Germans out of this country and we are reaping the benefit of their efforts.
Councillor Schofield: Are you prepared to risk your own life in defence of the country, apart from taking another life?
- Yes.

He was ordered to go to non combatant service.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Manchester Appeal Tribunal 5 April 1916
Reported Oldham Chronicle 8 April 1916

At the sitting of the South East Lancashire Appeals Tribunal at Manchester Town Hall on Wednesday, claims were made by conscientious objectors from Failsworth. Mr J M Yates KC presided and all the appeals were dismissed, the local tribunal's decisions being upheld …

… An appeal put in by William Johnson, a grocer's assistant of 17 Wrigley Head, Failsworth was withdrawn.

His appeal against the decision made at the Failsworth Tribunal was turned down.
He was sent to the Non-Combatant Corps.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The WO 363 records for Johnson survive (held at The National Archives, available online via Find My Past)
He was 5ft 6 ins tall and weighed 9 sts. He was medical category A1.

He joined the Non-Combatant Corps on 1 April 1916, his regimental number was 115.
He went to France with the 1 - 4 Western NCC on 25 June 1916.

He was disciplined three times, the first two in France, the third in Spa, Belgium:

• For being absent from work on the quay at Boulogne from 3.15 p.m. to 4 p.m. on 30 December 1916 he received 14 days Field Punishment No. 2
[Field Punishment Number 1 consisted of the convicted man being shackled in irons and secured to a fixed object, often a gun wheel or similar. He could only be thus fixed for up to 2 hours in 24, and not for more than 3 days in 4, or for more than 21 days in his sentence. This punishment was often known as 'crucifixion' and due to its humiliating nature was viewed by many Tommies as unfair. Field Punishment Number 2 was similar except the man was shackled but not fixed to anything. Both forms were carried out by the office of the Provost-Marshal, unless his unit was officially on the move when it would be carried out regimentally i.e. by his own unit.]
Source: The Long, Long Trail.

• On 7 July 1917, for being idle at work and for making an improper reply to an NCO, he was confined to camp and ordered to forfeit 14 days' pay.

• He was ordered 7 days confined to camp and ordered to forfeit 3 days' pay "for an act to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he, on 23.8.19, along with several others, did communicate with the War Office in an irregular manner."

He was demobilised from Warwick Camp on 29 November 1919.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Born Failsworth abt 1894
Died -

1911 census :
45 Hulton Street, Failsworth
Single with parents (only child)
Occ. Grocery assistant.

Not found 1939 register

Contributed by Dorothy Bintley