Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Booklass (R.F.R., B. 3800), 189482, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =THOMAS, WALTER JAMES=, Corpl., R.M.L.I., Po./10970, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =THOMPSON, ALBERT RICHARD=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 1994), 211537, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =THOMPSON, ARCHER=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 8602), S.S. 104956, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914. =THOMPSON, BERNARD HARRY LEOPOLD=, Ch. E.R.A., 1st Class, 175938, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914. =THOMPSON, EDWARD=, A.B., 226948, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =THOMPSON, GEORGE MASTERMAN=, Lieut., 1st Battn. The Royal Scots, attd. Gold Coast Regt. West African Frontier Force, only _s._ of the late Col. George William Thompson, formerly commanding 1st Battn. Royal Scots (who saw service in the Crimea, China, and India), by his wife, Agnes (Beechwood, Burley, co. Hants), dau. of Admiral John Russell; _b._ Etschowe, Zululand, 21 Feb. 1890; educ. Mr. Stanford's Private School, St. Aubyns, Rottingdean; Wellington College, and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut., 2nd Royal Scots, 18 Sept. 1909; transferred to 1st Battn. in Jan. 1910, and served three years in India; promoted Lieut. 13 Feb. 1913, and attd. to the Gold Coast Regt. West African Frontier Force, and was killed in action, 22 Aug. 1914, while gallantly leading an attack on a strongly entrenched position at Chra, Togoland: "a deed of extraordinary courage." Buried at Chra; _unm._ Lord Kitchener forwarded to his relatives an official letter from the Governor-General of French West Africa, saying: "That he had decided that the splendid behaviour on 22 Aug. 1914, in the affair of Chra, of Lieut. Thompson, of His Britannic Majesty's Army, and of the detachment of French native troops commanded by that officer, deserved to be commemorated in a Special General Order, as an example to all the troops in the Colony"; and one from General Pienau, forwarding the Order: "and expressing his very deep admiration for the magnificent way in which this officer performed his duty as a soldier, when sacrificing his life." The terms of the Order were: "Placed on 22 Aug. before the fight of Chra under the orders of Capt. Castaing of the Dahomey Brigade, he gave proof of supreme courage, of fine qualities of command in leading his Tirailleurs to the attack of German trenches vigorously defended--fifty metres from the enemy's line he fell mortally wounded--his splendid example earned that almost the whole of the French Tirailleurs placed under his orders laid down their lives defending his body." The Commanding Officer wrote: "His conduct during the action was particularly gallant. He was killed while attempting to storm the German trenches on the enemy's left. He was an officer who was genuinely popular with all ranks and one whom we could ill afford to lose, and I wish to convey to you not only my own profound sympathy in your loss, which is also mine, but that of all ranks of the Togoland Field Force. His conduct was that of a gallant officer and gentleman." The Adjutant wrote: "I had more opportunities than anybody of realising your son's sterling qualities as a soldier in peace times and his conspicuous gallantry in times of war. His loss is deeply felt by the whole force"; and a District Commissioner wrote: "His proficiency in the language and his influence over the natives, both soldiers and civilians, were astonishing, and great regret was evinced by all at Quittah, where the force of his personality had been very much felt during the short time he had been in command there, the chief asking leave to visit the grave at Chra." Lieut. Thompson was a fine linguist, and besides speaking French and the native dialect fluently, had passed the higher standard in Hindustani and Persian. He was a keen sportsman and a good fencer and polo player. [Illustration: =George M. Thompson.=] =THOMPSON, GILBERT=, Capt., 2nd Battn. Connaught Rangers, attd. as Adjutant 13th Battn. (Princess Louise's Kensington) The London Regt. (T.F.), 2nd _s._ of Reginald Thompson, of Loftus Hill, Knaresborough, Col. 2nd Vol. Battn. West York Regt., by his wife, Frances Harriet, 4th dau. of the Rev. Charles Smith Royds, of Haughton, co. Stafford, and Heysham, co. Lancaster, J.P., and gdson. of Sir Matthews William Thompson, of Guiseley, 1st Bart.; _b._ Baildon Lodge, 22 June, 1877; educ. Yarlet near Stafford, afterwards privately; gazetted 2nd Lieut., 2nd Connaught Rangers, from the Militia, 20 May, 1899, and promoted Lieut. 24 July, 1900, and Capt. 29 Nov. 1905; served eight years with them in India; appointed Adjutant to the Kensingtons, 1 Jan. 1913; left for France with them 3 Nov. 1914, and was killed in action at Laventie, 24 Feb. 1915. Buried at Picantin. One of the men, writing home, said of him: "We have lost one of our best officers. Capt. Thompson, the Adjutant. He was showing the General round, and he was shot in the head. He was one of the best; he thought of the men first and himself last. Every man is sorry at his death.... The men have lost their best friend." Another man wrote: "Out in the trenches he was splendid. He would come along and ask how we were and always have something cheery to say. He got his feet frost-bitten and asked what he should do.... 'See the doctor, sir,' I said. 'Not I,' he replied. 'He'll want a few toes off and put me on the sick list.' And he wouldn't, with all my persuasion. When my feet got very bad, I rode back three miles on his horse and the next morning he came round to see me. He's splendid." He was buried in the little cemetery behind the firing-line. His last request was: "Bury me with the boys, not beside the officers," and this wish was carried out. He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French's Despatch of 5 April and 31 May [London Gazette, 22 June], 1915. Capt. Thompson _m._ at Finghall, Yorkshire, 7 June, 1906, Ethel Isabella, 2nd dau. of Marmaduke D'Arcy Wyvill, of Constable Burton and Denton Park, Yorkshire, J.P., D.L., and had three children: Christopher Smith Byron, _b._ 19 April, 1907; Laura Barbara Frances, _b._ 10 Nov. 1908, and Naomi Isabella, _b._ 23 Oct. 1912. [Illustration: =Gilbert Thompson.=] =THOMPSON, JOHN=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 4241), 168018, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =THOMPSON, JOHN ALEXANDER MACKAY=, Lieut., 10th Battn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, eldest _s._ of William Thomas Thompson, M.A., Sc. (McGill), M.Can.Soc. C.E., D.T.S., District Engineer, Grenfell, Saskatchewan, Canada, by his wife, Mary, eldest dau. of the late Rev. Alexander Mackay, M.A., and grandson of the late Lieut.-Col. John Hall Thompson. M.P.; _b._ Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan, 6 Aug. 1890; educ. Qu'Appelle Schools and by tutors, afterward |