LIEUTENANT JOHN McCARTHY JOHNSON Service Number: 179743 Regiment & Unit/Ship: King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), 1st Bn. Died Between 12 November 1943 and 16 November 1943 Age 22 years old Son of John and Mary Johnson, of Sedbergh, Yorkshire. Lt John McCarthy Johnson was killed in action during the Battle of Leros. The Battle of Leros was the central event of the Dodecanese campaign of the Second World War, and is widely used as an alternate name for the whole campaign. After the Armistice of Cassibile the Italian garrison on the Greek island Leros was strengthened by British forces on 15 September 1943. The battle began with German air attacks on 26 September, continued with the landings on 12 November, and ended with the capitulation of the Allied forces four days later. Casualties of the Battle of Leros were as follows: Germans – 520 killed or missing Italians – 254 killed or missing British – 600 killed or missing, of whom 187 died in the fighting on Leros (the rest being lost at sea) Hellenic Royal Navy – 68 killed or missing Civilians – 20 killed