Alexander Downing Johnson was killed in action at Loos on September 25th, 1915. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the South Staffordshire Regiment and was 34 years of age.
He spent three years at Camborne School of Mines and obtained a first class in mining in 1903. A few months after graduation he went to South Africa and for four years he worked on the Rand at the Nourse Mines, Ltd., in the successive capacities of timekeeper, sampler, miner, assistant surveyor and shift boss.
In 1908 he proceeded northwards to Rhodesia, where he remained for another four years, working in various and increasingly responsible capacities on the gold mines of the southern province. During the last two years of his sojourn in the district, he was manager of the Kimberley (Mash.) Gold Mining Co. After a six months’ vacation, which he spent in England, he returned to his managership in Southern Rhodesia and continued his work there until November, 1914, when he resigned to join the South Staffordshire Regiment.
Mr. Johnson was admitted to Studentship of the Institution in 1902, and was transferred to Associateship in 1911.
Vol. 25, Trans IMM 1915-16, p.399.
