William Vincent Johnston was a son of Ronald Johnston. William was born in Donaghmore, County Tyrone about 1873. William Johnston was married to Elizabeth Carr Johnston. Elizabeth was from Dublin. They were married about 1898. William’s became a doctor and lived with his family in Rathmines, Dublin. Captain Johnston died suddenly of heart disease. The death took place with tragic suddenness in the Military Hospital at the Curragh on 12th December 1917 while he was acting as orderly officer on Tuesday evening of the 11th December and was found dead in his bed early the following morning. He was 44 years old.
Further Information
William Vincent Johnston was a son of Ronald and Sarah Johnston. Ronald Hill Johnston and Sarah Emily Ewing were married on 21st June 1865 in Dungannon.
William Johnston was born in Donaghmore on 23rd January 1873. He was one of 14 children, all born in the Dungannon area
Family: Ronald Hill Johnston, Sarah Emily Johnston, George Jameson Johnston (born 18th April 1866, Dungannon), Ronald Johnston (born 27th November 1867, Tullydraw, County Tyrone), John Ewing Johnston (born 17th August 1869, Tullydraw, County Tyrone), Edith Margaret Johnston (born 16th June 1871, Donaghmore), William Vincent Johnston (born 23rd January 1873, Donaghmore), Herbert Sinton Johnston (born 27th August 1874, Tullydraw, County Tyrone), Marian Elizabeth Johnston (born 28th March 1876, Donaghmore), Louise Emily Johnston (born 26th November 1877, Tullydraw, County Tyrone), Nora Winifred Johnston (born 29th January 1880, Donaghmore), Ernest Alexander Johnston (born 14th December 1881, Tullydraw, County Tyrone), Ethel Gertrude Johnston (born 8th February 1883, Dungannon), Sidney Musgrove Johnston (born 2nd May 1884, Dungannon), Frederick Albert Broughton Johnston (born 3rd December 1886, Dungannon), Harold Arthur Thompson Johnston (born 25th July 1889, Mullaghmore, Dungannon).
The 1901 census lists William Vincent as age 28 living with his wife and child at house 10 in McGown's Terrace, Rathmines & Rathgar East, Dublin. It confirms William's birthplace as Donaghmore. William's occupation is given as Pharmaceutical Chemist.
The 1911 census lists William Vincent as age 38 living with his family at house 3 in Cullenswood Terrace, Rathmines, Dublin. His occupation is listed as L.R.C. Post General Practitioner.
Family: William Vincent Johnston (born about 1873), Elizabeth Carr Johnston (born about 1877)
Lilian Vincent Johnston (born about 1900), Maria Emily Johnston (born about 1902).
Doctor William Vincent Johnston was a highly respected medical practitioner in a suburb of Dublin.
Captain William Vincent Johnston had served in the Royal Army Medical Corps for two years.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 26th April 1917: Dungannon and the U.V.F. Hospital (Miss M E Johnston – Sister of William Johnston)
Rifleman Samuel J Davis, writing home from the U.V.F. Hospital, Belfast, after returning from his weekend visit to Dungannon, says that when he approached his bed, he noticed by a card placed at its head that it was ‘In Memorial’ to the late Mr Francis Hale, J.P., Dungannon, a sum of 50 pounds having been given for this benevolent and patriotic purpose by Mrs Hale, one of several such gifts by Mrs and Miss Hale for war purposes. There is another bed through the generosity of Mr James Dickson, J.P., ‘In Memorial’ to Captain Tillie Dickson, Inniskilling Fusiliers, 1st July 1916, while another owes its existence to the generous gift of Messrs Stevenson and Sons. The matron is Miss Johnston, a daughter of Ronald Johnston, Northland Row, Dungannon. There are 35 beds in this ‘Roberts’ ward, all being occupied by limbless soldiers at present. It may be added that Mrs Hale was among the visitors to the hospital last week.
The death took place with tragic suddenness in the Military Hospital at the Curragh on 12th December 1917 of Captain William Vincent Johnston of the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was acting as orderly officer on Tuesday evening of the 11th December and was found dead in his bed early the following morning. He was 44 years old.
At the inquest the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, which was to the effect that the deceased died of syncope (died suddenly of heart disease).
From the Tyrone Courier and News dated Thursday 20 December 1917: R.A.M.C Officer's Sudden Death
The death took place with tragic suddenness in the Military Hospital at the Curragh on Wednesday morning of Captain W V Johnston, Royal Army Medical Corps (R.A.M.C.) of Ranelagh Road, Dublin. He acted as orderly officer on Tuesday, and was found dead in his bed early the following morning. Captain Johnston was a son of the late Ronald Johnston, Mullaghmore, and of Mrs Johnston, Northland Row, Dungannon. He was a brother of Mr J Ewing Johnston, V.S., 6 May Street, Belfast, and of Dr G Jameson Johnston, Lower Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin, while a sister is Miss M E Johnston, matron of the U.V.F. Hospital, Belfast. The deceased officer had served in the Royal Army Medical Corps for two years, prior to which he was a well known and highly respected medical practitioner in a suburb of Dublin. His death came as a great shock to his brother officers, with whom he was very popular. At the inquest the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, which was to the effect that the deceased died of syncope.
Captain Johnston was a brother of Mr John Ewing Johnston, V.S., 6 May Street, Belfast, and of Dr George Jameson Johnston, Lower Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin, while a sister was Miss Marian Elizabeth Johnston, matron of the U.V.F. Hospital, Belfast.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 25th April 1918: Honour for Matron of U.V.F. Hospital (sister of Captain W V Johnston)
Miss M E Johnston, matron of Ulster Volunteer Hospital, Belfast, has had the honour of being received by the King at Buckingham Palace, where his Majesty personally decorated her with the Royal Red Cross. Miss Johnston is a daughter of the late Mr Ronald Johnston, Mullaghmore, County Tyrone, and Mrs Johnston, Dungannon, and a sister of Lieutenant Colonel G J Johnston, R.A.M.C., and of Mr J Ewing Johnston, veterinary officer of the Remount Depot, Balmoral.
Captain William V Johnston is buried in Curragh Military Cemetery, County Kildare. The inscription on his grave reads: Captain W V Johnston, Royal Army Medical Corps, 12th December 1917, 'Nearer my God to Thee.'
Captain William V Johnston is commemorated locally on Dungannon War Memorial.
The CWGC record Captain William Vincent Johnston the husband of E. C. Johnston, of Portstewart, Co. Derry.
