Gerald MacIntosh Johnston
Encyclopedia
Actor Gerald MacIntosh Johnston (190?-5 November 1944), known professionally as Gerald Kent, was a Canadian
Broadway
stage and film actor who was captured at the Dieppe Raid
during the Second World War and died in a German
POW camp.
and in the 1920s he became a professional stage actor. He took up the stage name Gerald Kent and appeared in numerous Broadway plays, including The Royal Family and That's Gratitude. When World War II began he joined the Canadian military
and served in the first battalion
of the The Black Watch of Montreal
as a private
; he later joined the commandos
under Lord Louis Mountbatten, and in September 1940 Johnston deployed to England.
In 1941, while stationed with his unit in Britain
, Johnston landed a role in the film From the Four Corners, which starred Leslie Howard
. Johnston played a character based on himself, Private J. Johnston, who was a member of The Black Watch of Canada regiment.
on 19 August 1942. Johnston’s status was unknown for months after the battle and he was listed as missing in action, until it was finally reported in December that he had been captured. Johnston, along with thousands of other Canadians captured at Dieppe, was transferred Stalag II-D
Prisoner-of-war camp
located near Stargard
in the Baltics
. On November 5, 1944 Johnston was caught attempting to escape and was shot dead by guards after following their command to raise his hands. In January, 1945 the Sunday Pictorial, published out of London
, reported that Johnston’s death occurred during a mass escape of 1,500 Canadian P.O.W’s. Several days later the Toronto Daily Star
rebuked this story, calling it pure “fabrication” and the “figment of someone’s imagination.”
Johnston’s remains are buried in the Heverlee War Cemetery in Belgium
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
stage and film actor who was captured at the Dieppe Raid
Dieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
during the Second World War and died in a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
POW camp.
Stage and film career
Gerald MacIntosh Johnston was born in 1903 or 1904 to James Macintosh Johnston and Clare Maud. Johnston’s family relocated to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and in the 1920s he became a professional stage actor. He took up the stage name Gerald Kent and appeared in numerous Broadway plays, including The Royal Family and That's Gratitude. When World War II began he joined the Canadian military
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
and served in the first battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the The Black Watch of Montreal
The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
The Black Watch of Canada is a reserve infantry regiment in 34 Brigade Group, Land Force Quebec Area. The regiment is located on rue de Bleury in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and is currently commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bruno Plourde...
as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
; he later joined the commandos
Commandos
Commandos is a stealth-oriented real-time tactics game series, available for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. The game is set in the Second World War and follows the escapades of a fictional British Commandos section. It leans heavily on historical events during WWII to carry the plot...
under Lord Louis Mountbatten, and in September 1940 Johnston deployed to England.
In 1941, while stationed with his unit in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Johnston landed a role in the film From the Four Corners, which starred Leslie Howard
Leslie Howard (actor)
Leslie Howard was an English stage and film actor, director, and producer. Among his best-known roles was Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind and roles in Berkeley Square , Of Human Bondage , The Scarlet Pimpernel , The Petrified Forest , Pygmalion , Intermezzo , Pimpernel Smith...
. Johnston played a character based on himself, Private J. Johnston, who was a member of The Black Watch of Canada regiment.
Dieppe raid and imprisonment
The next year the Black Watch of Montreal participated in the disastrous Dieppe RaidDieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
on 19 August 1942. Johnston’s status was unknown for months after the battle and he was listed as missing in action, until it was finally reported in December that he had been captured. Johnston, along with thousands of other Canadians captured at Dieppe, was transferred Stalag II-D
Stalag II-D
Stalag II-D Stargard was a World War II German Army Prisoner-of-war camp located near Stargard, Pomerania , about east of Stettin .- Camp history:...
Prisoner-of-war camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
located near Stargard
Stargard Szczecinski
Stargard Szczeciński is a city in northwestern Poland, with a population of 71,017 . Situated on the Ina River it is the capital of Stargard County and since 1999 has been in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship; prior to that it was in the Szczecin Voivodeship...
in the Baltics
Baltic region
The terms Baltic region, Baltic Rim countries, and Baltic Rim refer to slightly different combinations of countries in the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea.- Etymology :...
. On November 5, 1944 Johnston was caught attempting to escape and was shot dead by guards after following their command to raise his hands. In January, 1945 the Sunday Pictorial, published out of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, reported that Johnston’s death occurred during a mass escape of 1,500 Canadian P.O.W’s. Several days later the Toronto Daily Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
rebuked this story, calling it pure “fabrication” and the “figment of someone’s imagination.”
Johnston’s remains are buried in the Heverlee War Cemetery in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Stage performances
- December–November 1936 - Iron Men at Longacre TheatreLongacre TheatreThe Longacre Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 220 West 48th Street in midtown Manhattan.-Theatre History:Designed by architect Henry Beaumont Herts in 1912, it was named for Longacre Square, the original name for Times Square...
in New York. Role: Fred.
- September 1936 - Arrest That Woman at National Theatre in New York. Role: Davis.
- October–November 1933 - A Divine Drudge at Royale Theatre in New York. Role: Kid Pauker.
- June–December 1932 - That's Gratitude at Waldorf Theatre in New York. Role: Clayton Lorimer.
- April 1932 - Angeline Moves In at Forrest Theatre in New York. Role: Jerry Dugan.
- February 1932 - New York to Cherbourg at Forrest Theatre in New York. Role: Floyd Warren.
- September 1930-March 1931 - That's Gratitude at John Golden TheatreJohn Golden TheatreThe John Golden Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 252 West 45th Street in midtown-Manhattan. Designed in a Moorish style along with the adjacent Royale Theatre by architect Herbert J. Krapp for Irwin Chanin, it opened as the Theatre Masque on February 24 1927 with the play Puppets of Passion...
in New York. Role: Clayton Lorimer.
- 1928 - The Royal Family at Selwyn Theatre in New York.
- December 1927 - Brass Buttons at Bijou TheatreBijou TheatreTwo Broadway theatres have been named the Bijou Theatre.The first was converted into a theatre in 1878 and rebuilt in 1883. It was often called the Bijou Opera House and was located at 1239 Broadway. It was also sometimes called The Brighton Theatre. It became a popular venue for operettas in...
in New York. Role: Kid Dickson.