Frederick Ross Maxwell Johnson

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Captain Frederick Ross Maxwell Johnson (9 December, 1889 – 18 June, 1939) was an officer in the Royal Navy. He appears to have been a generally capable officer, but his manner was off-putting to some of his superiors.

Life & Career

Johnson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 15 June, 1911.

On 29 October 1912, Johnson was admitted to Plymouth Hospital for one month to be treated for syphilis and scabies. He was found fit a month later and appointed to the light cruiser H.M.S. Chatham. On 4 April 1913, he was cautioned for being inattentive to his duties as officer of the watch.[1]

Johnson served as watchkeeper in Chatham until March 1916, and was mentioned in despatches after participating in action against the German light cruiser Königsberg in the Rufiji Delta.[2]

On 15 November 1917, Lochinvar collided with S.S. Sirius. The determination of fault is illegible in his Service Record.[3]

On 13 May 1918, he suffered a severe injury to his left hand when a gun exploded. He was found fit for shore service on 6 September, 1918.[4]

Johnson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 15 June, 1919.[Fact Check]

Johnson was appointed in command of the gunboat Ladybird on 14 June, 1920.[5]

On 29 June, 1924 Johnson was admitted to Plymouth Hospital with serious injuries to his head caused by a motor accident. His condition was deemed "serious".

Johnson was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1924.

Loaned to the Royal Australian Navy in 1925, Johnson was placed in command of H.M.A.S. Penguin. Following this command, he replaced Commander Dolphin in the light cruiser H.M.A.S. Adelaide.[6]

Johnson was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1931.

On 13 January 1936, the Admiralty told Johnson it considered him solely at fault for a collision between the Dragon and a pilot boat at the entrance to the Para River in October 1935. He was cautioned to be more careful in future.[7]

Johnson commanded the minesweeper Speedwell from 25 January 1939 until being sent back to his command of Caledon on 4 March, 1939.[8]

Johnson was found dead in a wood near Maidstone on 18 June, 1939, having shot himself and severed his spinal cord. Deemed a suicide whilst of unsound mind.[9]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Harold C. Woolcombe-Boyce
Captain of H.M.S. Fawn
6 Mar, 1916[10] – 31 Jul, 1916[11]
Succeeded by
John Willits
Preceded by
Robert E. M. Harris
Captain of H.M. T.B. 4
31 Jul, 1916[12][13] – 5 Dec, 1916[14]
Succeeded by
Donal S. McGrath
Preceded by
Somerville P. B. Russell
Captain of H.M.S. Ure
5 Dec, 1916[15] – 20 Jun, 1917[16]
Succeeded by
Reginald A. Woodward
Preceded by
George H. Creswell
Captain of H.M.S. Lochinvar
20 Jun, 1917[17][18] – 26 Dec, 1917[19]
Succeeded by
Basil E. Reinold
Preceded by
Cecil R. Hemans
Captain of H.M.S. Ossory
26 Dec, 1917[20] – 16 Feb, 1918[21]
Succeeded by
Raymond G. F. H. de Caen
Preceded by
William G. A. Shuttleworth
Captain of H.M.S. Minion
23 Feb, 1918[22] – 12 May, 1918[23]
Succeeded by
Spencer F. Russell
Preceded by
Sebald W. B. Green
Captain of H.M.S. Glowworm
Dec, 1919[24]c. Mar, 1920[Inference]
Succeeded by
John F. Warton
Preceded by
John F. Warton
Captain of H.M.S. Ladybird
14 Jun, 1920[25]
Succeeded by
Lancelot V. Donne
Preceded by
Arthur G. Craufurd
Captain of H.M.A.S. Penguin
mid 1925 – late 1925
Succeeded by
Gerald C. Wynter
Preceded by
Robert A. Startin
Captain of H.M.S. Shoreham
27 Oct, 1931[26] – 13 Dec, 1931[27]
Succeeded by
John Harding
Preceded by
Robert A. Startin
Captain of H.M.S. Penzance
14 Dec, 1931[28] – Feb, 1932[29]
Succeeded by
Arthur R. Farquhar
Preceded by
Percy F. P. Wood
Captain of H.M.S. Dahlia
23 Jan, 1932[30]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Edward B. Cloete
Captain of H.M.S. Mackay
30 Mar, 1932[31] – 23 Apr, 1932[32]
Succeeded by
Charles F. Harris
Preceded by
James A. McCoy
Captain of H.M.S. Worcester
19 Jul, 1932[33] – 4 Apr, 1933[34]
Succeeded by
William G. A. Robson
Preceded by
Marshal L. Clarke
Captain of H.M.S. Campbell
1 Jul, 1935[35] – 21 Jul, 1935[36]
Succeeded by
Arthur G. Skipwith
Preceded by
Guy L. Coleridge
Captain (D), Ninth Destroyer Flotilla
1 Jul, 1935[37] – 21 Jul, 1935[38]
Succeeded by
Eric B. K. Stevens
Preceded by
W. Frederic Wake-Walker
Captain of H.M.S. Dragon
15 Aug, 1935[39][40] – 15 Jul, 1937[41]
Succeeded by
Allan J. Wavish
Preceded by
Geoffrey R. S. Watkins
Captain of H.M.S. Cardiff
9 Apr, 1938[42] – 1 Jul, 1938[43]
Succeeded by
Percy F. P. Wood
Preceded by
John H. Young
Senior Officer, Reserve Fleet, The Nore
29 Apr, 1938[44] – 18 Jun, 1939[45]
Succeeded by
George H. Faulkner
Preceded by
Percy F. P. Wood
Captain of H.M.S. Calcutta
1 Jul, 1938[46] – 28 Sep, 1938[47]
Succeeded by
H. Geoffrey Norman
Preceded by
Lionel V. Lloyd
Captain of H.M.S. Caledon
21 Oct, 1938[48] – 18 Jun, 1939[49]
Succeeded by
George H. Faulkner

Footnotes

  1. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. 639.
  2. "Command of the Shoreham." The Times (London, England), 22 Sept. 1931, p. 6.
  3. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. 639.
  4. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. 639.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 800.
  6. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. 639.
  7. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  8. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  9. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. 639.
  10. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  11. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  12. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  13. The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 400.
  14. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  15. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  16. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  17. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  18. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 395f.
  19. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  20. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  21. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  22. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  23. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  24. The Navy List. (March, 1920). p. 780.
  25. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 800.
  26. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  27. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  28. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  29. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  30. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Monday, January 25, 1932, Issue 46039, p.7.
  31. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  32. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. ?.
  33. The Navy List. (January, 1933). p. 294.
  34. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  35. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  36. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  37. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  38. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  39. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  40. The Navy List. (October, 1935). p. 233.
  41. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  42. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  43. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  44. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. 639.
  45. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/282. f. 639.
  46. "Royal Navy." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Jul 09, 1938; pg. 18; Issue 48042.
  47. Norman Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/122/86. f. 86.
  48. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.
  49. Johnson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/92/108. f. 108.