Edith “Billie” Johnson was born in Kent, England on January 22nd, 1925. At age 17 she joined the Auxiliary Tem. Service detachment to the RASC, a segment called the FANY consisting of drivers, dispatch riders, and parts personnel. Her initial training was in Guildford, Surrey; her drivers and first aid in Blacktown, Surrey and then to a base in Reigate, Surrey. At the time her future husband Wally was stationed at Redhill (Reigate and Redhill were adjourning towns). She married Wally Johnson at St. Michaels & All Angels, England. After she became pregnant she got a release from the Army. Wally then applied for her to come to his parents in Grande Prairie. In April of 1945 she received notice to prepare for the trip (it was all hush hush since the war was still happening). She sailed on the “Duchess of Alone” which had been converted into a troop ship and carried 500 war brides in what was the converted swimming pool and ballroom. While on that journey she received notice that the war had ended. She arrived in Canada at Halifax on May 13th, 1945 (the first ship to dock after the Armistice). It took four days of train travel to reach Edmonton, then from there she boarded a train up north; her mother-in-law (Emma Johnson) wired her that she would meet her in McLennan and from there they travelled to Grande Prairie. She received a telegram on September 4th, 1945 stating that Wally had arrived in Halifax. One September 5th her eldest child was born. After trying to make a go at some business ventures in Grande Prairie, the decision was made to move to Spirit River. Wally worked in the mill for a number of years. They ended up having a family of ten boys and five girls. Edith passed away on March 2nd, 2007 and buried in the Spirit River Cemetery. **See biography on Walton “Wally” Johnson, her spouse.
- Pictured in under photos of service members – Memories and Moments, p 278 & p 254
- Chepi Sepe: Spirit River, 1989, Published by Spirit River History Book Committee, P. 529, 530, 531; p. 185 includes a picture.