Sub-Lieutenant John Bernard Johnson died on 5th January 1944 when Stinson Reliant I FK914 came down on the north-east slopes of Sawel Mountain, Co. Londonderry.
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant John Bernard Johnson served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War. He was the son of Herbert Henry Johnson and Daisy Johnson (née Rose) of Coventry, West Midlands, England, and the husband of Mary Louisa Johnson of Stanley, Yorkshire, England.
Sub-Lieutenant Johnson died on 5th January 1944 aged 22 years old while serving at H.M.S. Landrail, R.N.A.S. Machrihanish, Argyll and Bute, Scotland with No. 878 Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. Johnson was on Stinson Reliant I FK914 of Eglinton Station Flight when it took off from H.M.S. Gannet, R.N.A.S. Eglinton, Eglinton, Co. Londonderry. The plane came down in poor weather conditions near Glenerin on the north-east side of Sawel Mountain, Co. Londonderry. All on board died as a result of the incident and heavy snow meant their bodies were not recovered until 29th January 1944.
Sub-Lieutenant Johnson’s grave is in Grave 10 of St. Canice’s Church of Ireland Churchyard, Eglinton, Co. Londonderry. His headstone bears the inscription:
Deep in our hearts a memory is kept. We loved him too dearly to ever forget.