Brian Johnston - Pre-war Employment

Pre-war Employment

After Oxford he joined the family's coffee business, where he worked until 1939 but admitted years later that he had little interest or liking for the work. After a year at head office in the City of London he was transferred to the Hamburg office in 1935 as Germany was an important market for Brazilian coffee. The following year he travelled to Santos in Brazil where he worked in the company office for 18 months. However in 1938 he was struck down with an acute neurological condition and had to return to London. After several months recuperation he returned to the City office in October but resigned the following year to join the army on the outbreak of the war.