George Napier Johnston

Who was George Napier Johnston?

Major General George Napier Johnston, CB, CMG, DSO was a senior officer of the British Army who served with the New Zealand Military Forces during the First World War.

Born in Canada in 1867, Johnston was commissioned in the British Army in 1888. An artillery instructor, he served in British India and in 1904 was placed on secondment with the New Zealand Military Forces for three years before returning to the United Kingdom. He was serving in New Zealand as Inspector of Artillery when the First World War broke and joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force that was being raised for service abroad. He served at Gallipoli as commander of the artillery of the New Zealand and Australian Division and fulfilled the same role on the Western Front with the New Zealand Division. During the war he received several decorations in recognition of his war service. He briefly commanded the New Zealand Division while it was stationed in Germany on occupation duty after the war before being discharged from the NZEF. He commanded the artillery of the 52nd Division from 1919 to 1924 before he retired from the British Army. He died in Dar es Salaam in what is now Tanzania at the age of 79.