Mr Johnson's medal from King George

A Shropshire World War Two veteran who twice received the Distinguished Flying Cross has died at home following a short illness.

The Reverend John Johnson, a former RAF pilot, died in his sleep on February 19, aged 86.

Paying tribute to Mr Johnson, his son Christopher said he was a kind and gentle man.

He added: “He was very prayerful, a man of great spirituality. He was enormously patient but he also had a very sharp wit.”

Mr Johnson, of Sutton Hill, Telford, was in the RAF from 1941 to 1946.

He joined up in Cambridge having started a degree in engineering.

He was a bomber pilot with 104 Squadron during the war and first received the DFC for a tour of operations over Tunis.

The primary target could not be reached because of bad weather, so he bombed a heavily defended airfield instead.

The citation for the medal said: “This officer has shown himself to be an outstanding captain of aircraft by his leadership, enterprise and courage. He is a fine example to other pilots.”

He was later awarded a Bar to add to the ribbon of the first medal for his efforts in Romania, Austria, northern Italy and with mine-laying operations in the Danube.

His son said: “Despite all this, one of his proudest achievements was doing a supply drop to civilians on Christmas Day, somewhere over Czechoslovakia.”

Mr Johnson returned to university after the war and graduated with a degree in mathematics in 1948. After a period as a teacher, he was ordained as a priest in 1960.

He married his wife Ruth in 1986 and two years later, their son was born.

Mr Johnson retired and the family moved to Sutton Heights where he became treasurer for Christian Aid in Madeley.

Mr Johnson is survived by his son Christopher and wife Ruth, and his brother, also Christopher, and sister Angela.

His funeral will be at 2pm on Tuesday at Sutton Hill Church, followed by a family committal at St Mary’s Churchyard, Sutton Maddock.

Mr Johnson requested that no black be worn at his funeral.

Donations in lieu of flowers to Christian Aid would be appreciated.