Denis initially enlisted with the Royal Berks before transferring to the newly formed Commandos, established at the behest of Prime Minister Winston Churchill as a special forces unit to carry out raids against enemy forces in German occupied Europe.

‘Operation Archery’ was a Combined Operations raid against German positions on the island of Vågsøy, Norway, on 27^th December 1941 by British Commandos alongside a small number of Norwegians with Royal Navy destroyers providing fire support, together with RAF aircraft. The main aim of the operation was the destruction of fish-oil production which the Germans used in the manufacture of high explosives. It was also the intention to cause the Germans to maintain and possibly increase their forces in Norway, reducing in turn those deployed on the Eastern Front. In this the raid succeeded as Hitler moved 30,000 troops to Norway as a consequence and increased the coastal defences.

Several Quislings were captured and brought back to the UK for internment as well as a large number of loyal Norwegians who were also brought back to allow 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.

A copy of this story is available to download here.

See also the Commonwealth War Graves Commission permanent digital memorial, ‘Evermore: Stories of the fallen’ relating to:- Private Denis Alan JOHNSON