Lives of the First World War

1917

Bernard Copestake Johnson was born in South Normanton, Derbyshire in 1880, the first child of coal miner Edward and Georgina Johnson. In 1909 he married Bertha Lomax from Holmfirth and they had a daughter Dorothy born about 1910 in Greenhalgh, Lancashire where Bernard was teaching at the time. Subsequently, Bernard was appointed headmaster at Holmfirth National School. The 1911 census which included his name is highly unusual as it had been typed rather than handwritten. Bernard joined the army in 1914 and was killed on 14 May 1917. The local paper announced his death and summarised his career as follows: “We regret to announce that Lieut. Bernard C Johnson was killed in action in France on Monday last (14 May 1917). He joined the Army on October 2nd, 1914 and received his commission in the 7th Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment in September 1916. He was wounded in July 1916 in the Somme offensive and returned to France only a fortnight ago. The deceased officer who was 37 years of age, had been the headmaster of the Holmfirth National School for seven years prior to joining the Forces. He received his training at St John’s College Battersea and commenced his scholastic duties at London in 1900, remaining there for six years. He was then appointed to Kirkham, Lancashire afterwards taking up his position at Holmfirth.”

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