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They made the Ultimate Sacrifice
JOHNSTON, Lawrence Richard, AB, V51370, RCNVR, killed - 29 Apr 1944, HMCS ATHABASKAN - Son of John Edward and Marie Louise Johnston of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
AB Johnston died when his ship, HMCS ATHABASKAN G07, was sunk in the English Channel on April 29, 1944. His body was recovered and he was buried in the Plouescat Communal Cemetery, Finistere, France.
On May 01, 1944 Mrs. M. Johnston, mother of Lawrence R. Johnston, was sent a telegram stating her son was missing after the sinking of HMCS ATHABASKAN. Three days later Mrs. Johnston received a letter from Minister of National Defence, Naval Services stating Lawrence R. Johnston, AB, R.C.N.V.R. was reported missing from HMCS ATHABASKAN and also stated he may have been taken prisoner by German forces. On January 15, 1945 the family received letter from Naval Services stating Lawrence R. Johnston, stating no news has been received regarding her son and therefore he is presumed to be dead. Five years later on June 08, 1950, Mrs. Johnston received a letter from the Naval Service of Canada stating that the body of Lawrence R. Johnston, was found buried along the coast of Finistere, France, at Brignogan, Plouescat. France at the time was under German occupation and in most cases all identification was taken from the bodies by the Germans. The citizens of the French towns looked after the burials and held funeral services. It is confirmed from the dental records from HMCS ATHABASKAN that one of the bodies exhumed from those graves was of your son Lawrence R. Johnston. His body is buried in Plot 1, Row B, Grave Number 26 in the Plouescat Civil Cemetery, Plouescat, Finistere, France. Able Seaman Johnson was born in Winnipeg, received his education at St. Mary's School and prior to enlistment was employed with Remington Rand repair department. He enlisted with R.C.N.V.R. in February, 1943 and was posted overseas in October the same year. Members of AB Johnston's family include his parent's one brother, Edward, Halifax, and two sisters, Gladys at home and Mrs. A. G. Neuman, Winnipeg.
Ships served in: HMCS CHIPPAWA - Enlisted 23 Nov 1942. Commenced Active Service 25 Feb 1943 as an OS, RCNVR HMCS CORNWALLIS - Drafted to CORNWALLIS 12 Apr 1943 as an OS, RCNVR HMCS BEAVER - Served in BEAVER 07 Jul 1943 - 09 Jul 1943 for training while drafted to CORNWALLIS HMCS STADACONA - Drafted to STADACONA 11 Jul 1943 as an OS, RCNVR HMCS NIOBE - Drafted to NIOBE 14 Sep 1943 as an OS, RCNVR HMCS ATHABASKAN - Drafted to ATHABASKAN 06 Oct 1943 as an OS, RCNVR * Rated AB 25 Feb 1944
(LJ01) Portrait of AB Richard Johnston (LJ02) Documents from the Service File of Richard Johnston
Second World War Casualty Index
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