Upon leaving school, Denis became a playing member of Wolverhampton Rugby Football Club. This early involvement in team sports would later be reflected in his commitment to military service during the Second World War.

Enlistment and Transfer to the Commandos

In 1940, Denis enlisted with the Royal Berkshire Regiment. Shortly afterwards, he transferred to the newly formed Commandos. These special forces units were established at the behest of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, with the purpose of carrying out raids against enemy forces in German-occupied Europe.

Operation Claymore: The Lofoten Islands Raid

‘Operation Claymore’ was a British and Norwegian commando raid targeting the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway on 4^th March 1941. The islands held strategic significance as an important centre for the production of fish oil and glycerine, both of which were essential to the German war effort.

The original plan for the raid was to avoid direct confrontation with enemy forces while inflicting maximum damage on German-controlled industry. The commandos succeeded in destroying fish oil factories and significant tonnage of oil and glycerine. In addition to this, they returned with approximately 228 German prisoners, 314 Norwegian recruits, and several collaborators of the Quisling regime.

Through the combined efforts of naval gunfire and demolition teams, the raid resulted in the sinking of 18,000 tons of shipping. Perhaps most notably, the operation led to the capture of a set of rotor wheels for an Enigma machine, along with its code books, from the German armed trawler ‘Krebs’. This would later prove to be a significant intelligence coup for the Allies.

Operation Archery: The Vågsøy Raid

‘Operation Archery’ was a Combined Operations raid carried out on 27^th December 1941. The target was German positions on the island of Vågsøy, Norway, and the raid involved British Commandos, a small contingent of Norwegians, Royal Navy destroyers providing fire support, and RAF aircraft.

The principal objective was the destruction of fish-oil production facilities, which the Germans used to manufacture high explosives. Additionally, the operation aimed to force the Germans to maintain or increase their troop presence in Norway, thereby reducing the number of soldiers available for deployment on the Eastern Front. This strategic goal was achieved, as Hitler subsequently moved 30,000 troops to Norway and strengthened coastal defences in response to the raid.

During the operation, several Quislings were captured and brought back to the United Kingdom for internment. A large number of loyal Norwegians were also taken back, enabling them to join the Allied cause.

Denis was one of 17 killed during the operation on Saturday 27^th December 1941. With the absence of any remains he is commemorated on the Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial, Military Cemetery, Brookwood, Surrey. He was 21 years old.

Son of Edward Alfred Johnson & Ruby Helen Johnson.

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Revised: October 2025