Studio portrait of VX42266 Private (Pte), later Corporal, John Leslie Johnson, 2/23 Battalion, ...

Studio portrait of VX42266 Private (Pte), later Corporal, John Leslie Johnson, 2/23 Battalion, of Walwa, Vic. He was a carpenter and contractor prior to enlisting on 27 June 1940. Pte Johnson, VX42229 Pte Allan Clement Kelly, and VX46250 Pte John Patrick Joy, all originally from Walwa, Vic, were close friends, who all enlisted in June 1940. Following initial training in Australia, they embarked from Port Melbourne on board HMAT Strathmore on 17 November 1940 arriving in Egypt on 17 December. After further training in desert warfare the unit was sent to Tobruk, Libya, arriving on 18 March 1941. All three were killed in action during the counter attack on 17 May 1941. Corporal Johnson was 38 years of age.