Robert Johnson (civil servant)
Encyclopedia
Colonel Sir Robert Arthur Johnson KCVO
KBE
(26 March 1874–2 March 1938) was a British
civil servant who served as Deputy Master and Controller of the Royal Mint
from 1922 to his death in 1938.
The son of the Reverend Arthur Johnson, historian and chaplain of All Souls College, Oxford
, Johnson was educated at Winchester College
and New College, Oxford
, graduating with a first in History in 1897. He was President of the Oxford Union. He joined the Scottish Education Department as a junior examiner and in 1910 transferred to HM Customs and Excise as Assistant Committee Clerk.
He was commissioned into the Volunteer Force
in 1889 and served with the 41st Squadron, Imperial Yeomanry
during the Second Boer War
. From 1907 to 1911 he was Brigade Major
of the South Midland Infantry Brigade and from 1911 to 1919 he commanded the 9th (Cyclist) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, which became the 1st/9th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment in 1915. He commanded the battalion in India
, and then in Siberia
during the Russian Civil War
, for which he was promoted Colonel
, mentioned in dispatches
and appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Siberian War Honours of January 1920.
In 1919 he was called to the bar and returned to HM Customs and Excise as Committee Clerk, but was almost immediately transferred to HM Treasury
as a Principal and promoted Assistant Secretary in 1920.
Johnson was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 1928 Birthday Honours and Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1935.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(26 March 1874–2 March 1938) was a British
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...
civil servant who served as Deputy Master and Controller of the Royal Mint
Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
from 1922 to his death in 1938.
The son of the Reverend Arthur Johnson, historian and chaplain of All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
, Johnson was educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, graduating with a first in History in 1897. He was President of the Oxford Union. He joined the Scottish Education Department as a junior examiner and in 1910 transferred to HM Customs and Excise as Assistant Committee Clerk.
He was commissioned into the Volunteer Force
Volunteer Force (Great Britain)
The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrated with the British Army after the Childers Reforms in 1881, before forming part of the...
in 1889 and served with the 41st Squadron, Imperial Yeomanry
Imperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. From 1907 to 1911 he was Brigade Major
Brigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
of the South Midland Infantry Brigade and from 1911 to 1919 he commanded the 9th (Cyclist) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, which became the 1st/9th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment in 1915. He commanded the battalion in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and then in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
during the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
, for which he was promoted Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
and appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Siberian War Honours of January 1920.
In 1919 he was called to the bar and returned to HM Customs and Excise as Committee Clerk, but was almost immediately transferred to HM Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
as a Principal and promoted Assistant Secretary in 1920.
Johnson was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 1928 Birthday Honours and Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1935.