Several Boston Auxiliers recall being recruited by George Johnson of the Lincolnshire Regiment.
Donald Hamiliton-HIll mentions Sergeant Johnson as being with him in Lincolnshire and subsequently on SOE Operation Ringlet.
His son recalled that he had been trained to blow the dykes in low lying Lincolnshire, flooding the land and slowing the German advance.
Before joining Auxiliary Units he had fought in the the campaign in Norway in 1940.
He then went on to work with Tito's Partisan fighters, in Italy and Yugoslavia, training them to use captured weapons and ammunition.
After the war he worked as traffic foreman on Boston Docks, staying in touch with some of the men he had recruited in 1940.
The son of George and Annie, he married Honorah Loneagran in 1942.
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Lincolnshire Scout Section | Scout Section Sergeant | 1940 | 1943 |
| Force 133 | SOE Agent | 1943 | 1945 |
| Massingham Mission | SOE Agent | 1943 | 1943 |
| Massingham Mission | SOE Agent | 1943 | 1943 |
| Operation Ringlet | SOE Agent | Unknown | Unknown |
| Operation Ringlet | SOE Agent | Unknown | Unknown |
27 Mar 1939 Enlisted in 4th Battalion the Lincolnshire Regiment.
May 1940 Served in Norway.
circa Oct 1940 Posted to Auxiliary Units. He had been posted to 7 Infantry Training Centre at Lincoln on 22 Jun 1940 with the rank of Corporal. He appears to have remained attached to them even after posting to Auxiliary Units.
His service record shows he was paid as Acting Sergeant from 17 Apr 1941. The entry is signed by Captain Hamilton-Hill. On 17 Sep 1941 he was made a War Substantive Sergeant.
29 Aug 1942 he ceased to be attached to 7 Infantry Training Centre, instead being attached to 143 Infantry Brigade who also supplied his rations. Previously he had been entitled to Higher Rate Ration Allowance.
15 Apr 1943 He was posted to Special Training Schools No.1 Holding Unit from Auxiliary Units, Lincoln. SOE operated the Special Training Schools.
11 May 1943 Posted to London District Assembly Centre, a transit camp for those being posted overseas.
15 May 1943 Embarked for the two week journey to North Africa. On arrival his was posted to ISSU6, also known as ME 20, the SOE base in Algiers for Operation Massingham.
1 Aug 1943 Posted to ME 39, the SOE base for Operation Ringlet. He was promoted at the same time to Acting Warrant Officer Class II, Company Sergeant Major.
29 Jan 1944 Posted to 576 Special Supply Depot, Monopoli. This was SOE’s supply depot near Bari for various operational areas including Yugoslavia.
23 Aug 1944 Posted to ME 61, the SOE Wireless station at Torre a Mare in Italy
21 Dec 1945 Discharged (Class Z release).
17 Jun 1947 Reenlisted in 4th Battalion, Royal Lincolnshire Regiment (Territorial Army).
He rose to the rank of Company Sergeant Major serving at the Boston Depot.
SOE Assignment, Donald Hamilton-Hill
https://wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/view.php?uid=210068
Colin Hayes
WW2 talk forum (Lincolnshire Regiment Enlistment book)