John was the first cousin and best friend of my grandfather, Clifford Johnston, who had the unpleasant task of verifying his body at the front. John was regarded as the "golden boy" of our extended Johnston family. He was charismatic, intelligent and well spoken. In the military he was quickly promoted to sergeant, a rank seldom awarded to farm boys. An unwritten rule limited them to Corporal. John quickly exceeded expectations and won the Military Medal for bravery - second only to the Victoria Cross.

My grandfather was an artilleryman with the CFA. John was in charge of an ammunition train that brought artillery shells to the front on horseback. They would get together as often as possible as John supplied the battery that Clifford was in. One day as evening approached John decided that he wanted a closer look at the trenches and the action on the frontline. It was a fatal error. A German sniper shot him in the head. John died instantly. With his death died a lot of hopes and dreams of his family. A blood-stained New Testament taken from his breast pocket was sent back to his parents.