William Louis Johnson (c.1869-1948)

Major William Louis Johnson was a bowler, banker, fighter, journalist and historian and a proud Waverley resident.

He was the first boy enrolled at Waverley School in 1879.

During World War I, he sailed with the A.I.F 1^st Brigade Field Artillery and took part in the Gallipoli landing.  He narrowly escaped death when a bursting shell killed four of his party of five.  Seriously wounded, he was invalided to Australia and in 1920 he retired to the Reserve of Officers.

From 1909 William Louis Johnston became the Manager of the Rural Bank at Bondi Junction a position he held for many years. He was also prominent member of the executive of the Waverley Bowling Club and one of its vice-presidents.

 His keen interest in local history lead him to contribute articles on the history of Waverley to local newspapers, in particular the Eastern Suburbs Daily, where his articles appeared under the nome de plume ‘Plugshell’.