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Auction: 26002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 195

The March 1918 D.S.O., 1916 T.D. group of five awarded to Major C. E. Johnston, 6th (Morayshire) Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders, who was killed in action by a sniper on 23 March 1918

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, centres depressed and white enamel rather dirty; Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Capt. C. E. Johnstone. Sea: Highrs.), note surname spelling; British War and Victory Medals (Major C. E. Johnston.); Territorial Officers' Decoration, G.V.R., top riband bars adapted for mounting on first and last, nearly very fine (5)

D.S.O. London Gazette 2 December 1918:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in command of his Battalion. He encouraged his men by his great coolness under very heavy fire, and when the enemy broke through on the left, he organised a defensive flank, subsequently conducting the withdrawal with great skill.

It was due to his splendid example that the Battalion put up such an excellent defence and inflicted such heavy casualties on the enemy. He was finally [mortally] wounded.'

T.D. London Gazette 7 July 1916.

Charles Ernest Johnston was born on 18 December 1871 at New Mill, Elgin, the son of Colonel Charles and Mary Johnston. Educated at Malvern College, he was in No. 1 House and was a Prefect. The Malvernian give a good account;

'After leaving School he joined his father in business as a woollen manufacturer, at Elgin, Scotland. At the same time he joined the local Volunteer Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders, in which he was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in 1891 and Captain in 1895. He took the regimental service Battalion out to South Africa, and was gazetted Hon. Captain in the Army, attached to Scottish Horse in April 1902, and re-joined his home unit as Adjutant in October 1902, and was subsequently transferred to Scottish Horse as Major.

In 1914 Major Johnston, who had retired previous to the Great War, was appointed Recruiting Officer for Morayshire, Scotland. In 1915 he was asked to raise a regiment, the 2/6th Seaforth Highlanders. In this task he was successful, and he commanded the regiment both in Elgin and at Ripon Camp till he was sent to France in Jan. 1917.

He joined the 6th Seaforth Highlanders as second in command, and was with the Battalion and was temporarily commanding when he was killed, on March 23rd, 1918. He was awarded the D.S.O. for work he did during the 21st-23rd March, 1918, and was twice mentioned in despatches. Major Johnston was first reported missing on March 23rd, and he has since been presumed to have been killed on that date.'

A letter from Colonel Macdonald gives more detail on his final moments:

'On the morning of March 23rd, Major Johnston was going round the line visiting the men, when it appears he was sniped and fell, and as the enemy broke through at that point shortly afterwards, it was quite impossible to reach him.'

Aged 43, Johnston is commemorated upon the Arras Memorial and on the Roll of Honour of the Elgin Golf Club.


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Estimate
£700 to £900

Starting price
£550