The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. R A Johnson

Ronald Arthur Johnson was born on 17th July 1920 in Aldridge, Staffordshire. He attended Elmore Green Central School in Walsall and Cannock Mining College.

He was employed as a Civil Servant when he joined the RAFVR about February 1939 as an Airman u/t Pilot.

Called up on 1st September 1939, he carried out his elementary training at 9 EFTS Ansty and then went on to 10 FTS Ternhill for No. 21 Course, which ran from 10th June to 7th September 1940.

He was at 5 OTU Aston Down from 7th September to 9th October to convert to Hurricanes and then joined 43 Squadron at Usworth on 12th October. He made his first flight with it on the 18th.

Commissioned in January 1942, Johnson was awarded the DFC (gazetted 25th July 1944) as a Flight Lieutenant with 144 Squadron, operating Beaufighters in the anti-shipping role.

He was released from the RAF in 1946 as a Flight Lieutenant.

Johnson died in 2010.