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James Edgar "Johnnie" Johnson, RAF
By Len "Viking1" Hjalmarson

Britain's most successful fighter ace of the Second World War, who was initially rejected by the air force, has died at the age of 85. Air Vice-Marshal Johnnie Johnson notched up a record 38 confirmed kills on his way to becoming the RAF's "top gun".

James Edgar Johnson was born on March 9, 1915 at Barrow-upon-Soar, Leicestershire, United Kingdom. The village policeman's son from Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, was originally rejected by the Auxiliary Air Force because he was not a member of the local fox hunt. “The hunt,” as it was known in the England of those days, was part of a class based system of “who’s who.”

From Spitfire, The Canadians, By Robert Bracken

“Johnnie” trained as a civilian engineer, and when he was rejected by the RAF Volunteer Reserve he joined the Territorial army. When war broke out he was soon called to the RAFVR to begin flying training, joining his first operational squadron, No.19 Squadron, in 1940.

Unfortunately, Johnnie arrived with a unit that had no time to train new pilots and he was soon moved to No.616 Squadron (No.19 was facing great frustration with its first cannon armed Spitfires). He was off to a rough start. He crashed his first Spitfire just four days after taking to the air, and when he reported the aggravation of an old rugby injury (a broken collarbone with attendant trapped nerves) he was suspected of having a lack of moral fiber.

An operation allowed him to get back in the air, and when Fighter Command launched a series of aggressive cross-Channel sweeps (summer of 1941) the airmanship and combat skills exhibited by Johnson as a member of No 616 Squadron (South Yorkshire's Auxiliary AF Spitfire squadron), were recognized by Douglas Bader. Bader was the charismatic leader who lost both legs in a pre-war flying accident, at that time leading his celebrated Spitfire wing from Tangmere at the foot of the South Downs.

WWII Poster

Bader paid Johnson the compliment of inviting him to fly in his own section, and the two men struck up a lifelong friendship, with Johnson frequently flying No.2 to the Wing Leader. On August 9, during the wing's operation in support of a bomber attack on Gosnay, near Lille, Johnson was present when Bader was shot down and taken prisoner.

Johnson later recalled how the amiable banter of his groundcrew relieved the tension as they strapped him in at Westhampnett airfield, a satellite of Tangmere. He remembered also "the usual cockpit smell, that strange mixture of dope [varnish], fine mineral oil, gun oil and high octane assailing the nostrils" was "vaguely comforting". He tightened his helmet strap, swung the rudder with his feet on the pedals, wiggled the stick, thought about Lille and Me 109s and switched on his gunsight. He continues,

"In a slanting climb we cross Beachy Head and steer for the French coast. Bader rocks his wings, we level out for the climb, slide out of our tight formation and adopt wider battle formations at 25,000 ft.

“We were flying over the Pas de Calais when we encountered a swarm of Me 109s. We fanned out alongside Bader. There were four 109s with others on either side. Before opening fire I had a swift glance to either side. For the first time I see Bader in the air, firing at a 109. My 109 pulls into a steep climb, I hang on and knock a few pieces from his starboard wing." Wing Leader, JE Johnson, 1964.

Spotting a lone Messerschmitt, Johnson dropped below the aircraft to take aim with his cannon at the unarmored underside. Moments later a plume of thick black smoke marked the end of the 109.

By September, 1941, his score had risen to six (all Me109s) and Johnson was awarded the DFC and promoted to Flight Commander. By this time the Spitfire was encountering serious opposition to its sweeps, including the new radial-engined Focke Wulf Fw 190 which could both outpace and outmaneuver it. The Fw190 sported four 20mm cannon and two 13mm machineguns. Johnson first encountered one of these aircraft in April 1942, getting a shot at it and damaging it.

In June 1942 he was awarded the bar to his DFC. In July 1942, when his score had already reached double figures, Johnson received command of No 610 (County of Chester), an Auxiliary AF Spitfire squadron based at Ludham in Norfolk. The next month, on August 19, 610 flew with New Zealander Jamie Jameson's No 12 Group Spitfire wing in the air battle over Dieppe, in support of the disastrous Dieppe Raid. Jameson recalled how, "Over Dieppe the wing was immediately bounced by a hundred FW 190s and a few Me 109s. I heard Johnson swearing as he broke 610 into a fierce attack. I was hard at it dodging 190s, but I found time to speak sharply to Johnson about his foul language."

Johnson flew four sorties over Dieppe, adding to his tally of "kills". At Dieppe during the raid of August 19 he had his first Fw 190 kill. It was to be the first of many he shot down as improved marks of the Spitfire closed the gap on the Fw 190.

Johnnie was always the first to acknowledge his debt to his groundcrew. "My life depended on my rigger Arthur Radcliffe and my fitter, Fred Burton," he wrote. "They strapped me in, waved me off and welcomed me back - and whenever I was successful they were as pleased as me."

Johnnie Johnson attributed his shooting skill to his love for hunting, as did many other famour air marksmen. At the age of 17 he bought a BSA 12-bore shotgun - for £1 down and nine similar monthly payments. In those days rabbits fetched a shilling each, and he estimated that if he could average two rabbits from three shots he could pay for the gun.

His determination resulted in his becoming adept at deflection shooting on the ground. Graduating to wildfowling on the Lincolnshire marshes, Johnson adapted the skill to bring down widgeon, pintail and teal. He later commented,

"The principles of deflection shooting against wildfowl and aeroplanes were exactly the same, except that aeroplanes could sometimes return your fire. The best fighter pilots were usually outdoor men who had shot game and wildfowl."

Johnnie married Pauline Ingate in 1942. They would eventually have two sons.

Mk IIb Spitfire

Following command of No 610, in March 1943 Johnson was posted to lead the Canadian fighter wing at Kenley. Before long, Syd Ford, commanding No 403 Squadron, laid a pair of blue Canadian shoulder flashes on Johnson's desk. "The boys would like you to wear these," said Ford. "After all, we're a Canadian wing and we've got to convert you. Better start now." Though technically a breach of regulations, Johnson had the insignia sewn to the upper sleeves of his tunic.

Attacking ground targets and acting as escorts to US Eighth Air Force Fortress bomber formations, Johnson's Canadians produced ever increasing scores - in addition to Johnson's 14 kills and five shared between April and September (Johnson was awarded the DSO in June) When Johnson left the squadron to rest from operations, his send-off party was such that the wing was stood down the next day.

Between September 1943 and March 1944 Johnnie rested in a Staff Appointment at HQ No.11 Group. Such was Johnson's reputation with the Canadians that when, early in 1944, the Royal Canadian Air Force formed No 144 Wing of three squadrons at Digby, in Lincolnshire, they insisted Johnson command it. On 7th July 1944, Johnson received a second bar to his DSO and was promoted to Group Captain.

At the D-Day landings on June 6 1944, Johnson led the wing four times over the Normandy beaches. Bill weeks, an RCAF pilot with 144 Wing, tells the story of the move of 144 Wing to B3, at Saint-Croix-sur-Mer on the morning of June 15.

“B3 was located in a large pasture; sod had been removed and wire mesh laid down to form a runway. It was a suitable enough landing strip, although exceedingly dusty.

“In view of this, Johnson decided that we would make our move one squadron at a time, in 30 minute intervals. He selected S/L BD Russel’s 442 Squadron to go first.

“We landed in pairs, with enough intervals between pairs to allow the dust to clear, and dispersed our aircraft. Shortly thereafter, a lone Spitfire flew over the field. It was low enough that we could read the letters JEJ on its side—Johnson’s letters. On his first approach, Johnnie didn’t come close to getting his aircraft down, nor did he on the second. He did grease it on his third or fourth attempt—in my mind it was the latter—and parked near our aircraft.

“He walked over to where Russel was standing and was overheard to say, “Dal, if I hadn’t gotten the damn thing down on that last approach, I was going to get you to send up one of your boys to shoot me down.” Spitfire, The Canadians, by Robert Bracken. Boston Mills Press, 2000.

Spitfires pursue Me109 in Rowan's Battle of Britain

From B3 Johnson and his men saw much action, and he himself had soon notched up his 28th kill, an FW 190 shot down over Normandy. Johnson surpassed Malan's score in on June 30, 1944, near Falaise while flying with 441 Squadron. The South Africans' kills had all been scored in the dark days of 1940 to 1941.

Johnson ended his war in command of 125 Wing which in May 1945 he led to Denmark to put on a victory air display. His wartime tally of 38 was exceeded only by that of the South African ace 'Pat' Pattle, who was credited with 41 kills in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean before being shot down and killed in April 1941.

On the ground, Johnson got about on a horse he had found abandoned by the Germans. In the mess, dissatisfied with field rations, he brightened up meals with airlifts of bread, tomatoes, lobster and stout supplied by the wing's favourite Chichester landlord. The transportation of some refreshments was by unorthodox methods. The Chichester beer arrived hung in barrels from the wings of his plane! Brian “Blackie” MacConnell of 402 Squadron tells this related story.

“I had heard of the Spitfire XIVs and had asked for them when I was at OTU.

“I was posted to 402 Squadron, which was the first RCAF squadron equipped with Mark XIVs. I landed, with three or four other pilots, at Brussels in Ansons. Our kit was taken out of the aircraft and put on the ground, and we were standing around. Another pilot (I think his name was Riddell) and I were waiting for a lift to the squadron, and I noticed a barrel of beer among the kit we carried. I very carefully moved my kit aside and worked it over toward the barrel.

“Then a truck came and a sergeant asked, “You’re for 126 Wing?” We said, “Yes.” He said, “Fine, where’s your kit?” We pointed to the barrel and our kit bags, and the beer went into the truck.

“When the truck arrived at Diest, I me the adjutant of the 402, Alex Cronsberry. During our first discussion, I mentioned that I came from Lindsay, Ontario. He said, “Oh, that’s where Ken Sleep is from,” and they put me in his flight. We hid the beer in his quarters.

RCAF

“It was only later on, while we were enjoying the beer—now hidden in Sleep’s room, since we did not want to share it with the other squadrons—that I noticed on the end of the barrel, written in chalk: J. Johnson—127 Wing. The only J. Johnson at 127 Wing was of course, the very well-known Johnnie Johnson. So if I ever meet Johnnie, I will have to thank him for the beer!” Spitfire, The Canadians, by Robert Bracken. Boston Mills Press, 2000.

In April 1945 Johnson was given command of No 125 Wing, equipped with the latest Griffon-engined Spitfire XIVs. After VE Day, on May 8, he led the wing to Denmark. In the course of the war, he had never been shot down and had only once been hit by an enemy fighter, over France in August 1944.

After Denmark, he was posted to Germany in command of No 124 Wing. In 1947, having reverted to the substantive rank of wing commander (the price of peace and a permanent commission), he was sent to Canada to attend the RCAF staff college at Toronto.

The next year he went on exchange to the US Air Force, and in 1950-51 he served with the Americans in Korea, before returning to Germany to command RAF Wildenrath until 1954.

In 1957, once more in the rank of group captain, Johnson was transferred to the world of bombers, as Commander of the new Victor V-bomber station at Cottesmore, Rutland. . He flew reconnaissance mission in Douglas B-26 Invaders and fighter-bomber sorties in the Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star, winning the US Air medal and Legion of merit, in Korea though he did not score any kills.

After promotion to Air Commodore and a spell as Senior Air Staff Officer at Bomber Command's No 3 Group, at Mildenhall, Suffolk, he received (on promotion to air vice-marshal) his final command - Middle East Air Forces, Aden. Johnson rated the latter command "the best air vice-marshal's job in the Air Force".

After retirement from the RAF in March, 1966, he sat on company boards in Britain, Canada and South Africa. He also launched, and until 1989 ran, the Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust, providing housing and care for the elderly, the disabled, and vulnerable young people and families. Today the trust manages more than 4,000 houses and flats.

He wrote several readable books, notably Wing Leader (1956), a wartime autobiography, and Full Circle (1964). With his friend and fellow ace Wing Commander P B "Laddie" Lucas, he wrote Glorious Summer (1990); Courage in the Skies (1992); and Winged Victory (1995).

In addition to the decorations mentioned already he was awarded an American DFC, Air Medal, and Legion of Merit, and the Belgian Croix de Guerre and Order of Leopold.

He was appointed CBE in 1960 and CB in 1965. He became a Deputy Lieutenant for Leicester in 1967, and was appointed to the Legion d'honneur in 1988.

Air Vice-Marshal J. E. (Johnnie) Johnson, CB, CBE, DSO and two Bars, DFC and Bar, fighter ace, was born on March 9, 1915. His close friend, Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris, said the record-breaking pilot died at his home in Derbyshire on Tuesday, January 30, after an illness.

His Tally:

• 15/1/1941: Shared kill of a Do 17
• 26/6/1941: Shot down Bf 109
• July 1941: Shot down two Bf109s, damaged two more and shared in another probable.
• August-September 1941: Downed three more Bf109s, shared in the destruction of another and was credited with a probable and a shared probable.
• 15/4/1942: Damaged an Fw190
• 19/8/1942: Downed a Fw190, shared a Bf109 and shared the damaging of another.
• 20/8/1942: Probable Fw190
• 13//2/1943: Probable Fw190
• 3/4/1943: Shot down Fw190
• 5/4/1943: Damaged three Fw190
• May 1943: Three killed and one shared kill
• June and July 1943: downed seven more aircraft, shared in the destruction of two more and damaged a further two.
• August to September 1943: Downed three Fw190s, shared in the destruction of two 109s and was credited with a damaged 109 and shared damaged.
• 28/3/1944: Shared in the destruction of a Ju88 on the ground at Dreux
• April and May 1944: Three more Fw190s shot down
• June and July 1940: Seven enemy aircraft shot down and one damaged
• August 1944: Downed two more Fw190s
• 27/9/1944: Closed his score with a Bf109

Sources:

• The Glasgow Herald
• The Telegraph
• http://www.british-forces.com
• Spitfire, The Canadians, by Robert Bracken. Boston Mills Press, 2000.
• Wing Leader, by J.E. Johnson

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