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Remembered Today:

THOMPSON JAMES ALBERT RAYMOND Lieut Col


marine pete

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IM TRYING TO TRACE A OFFICER JAMES ALBERT RAYMOND THOMPSON Lieut Colonel

FROM THE MASONIC ROLL OF HONOUR 1922 LODGE 660 CAMALODUNUM IN PROVINCE OFYORKSHIRE N&E RIDINGS.

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Pete,

Welcome to the Forum.

Are you sure about the L/C rank?

I cant see him on either SDGW or CWGC, So I assumed that he lived through.

Only Tompson that I can see in the National Archives is a James Albert and he's a Company Quartermaster Serjeant in the East Surrey Regiment.

Grant

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James Albert Raymond Thomson appears to have been in the Yorkshire Regiment:

Name: THOMSON, JAMES ALBERT RAYMOND

Initials: J A R

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel

Regiment/Service: Yorkshire Regiment

Unit Text: 5th Bn.

Age: 42

Date of Death: 27/05/1918

Awards: D S O

Additional information: Croix de Guerre (France). Son of James and Eliza Thomson; husband of Ethel Norah Mayson Thomson, of The Uplands, Malton, Yorks. Born at Huddersfield.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. A. 2.

Cemetery: VENDRESSE BRITISH CEMETERY

The 27-5-1918 dates refers to when several battalions were cut-off, surrounded and wiped out (killed/captured) at the Chemin des Dames.

Steve.

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London Gazette entries:

LG 19-3-1901

2nd Volunteer Battalion, the Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment), James Albert Raymond Thomson, Gent., to be Second Lieutenant.

Dated 20th March, 1901.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...lbert%20raymond

LG 12-6-1903

2nd Volunteer Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own ( Yorkshire Regiment),

Second Lieutenant J. A. R. Thomson to be Lieutenant. Dated 13th June, 1903.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...%20R.%20Thomson

LG 17-10-1905

2nd Volunteer Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment); The undermentioned lieutenants to be Captains:

J. A. R. Thomson. Dated 18th October, 1905.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...%20R.%20Thomson

LG 21-6-1912

TERRITORIAL FORCE RESERVE.

Infantry.

James Albert .Raymond Thomson (late Captain, 5th Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment)) to be Captain. Dated 22nd June, 1912.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...lbert%20raymond

LG 12-12-1916

War Office,

12th December, 1916.

TERRITORIAL FORCE.

Yorkshire Regt.

Capt. J. A. R. Thomson to be temp. Maj. 17th Sept. 1916.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...%20R.%20Thomson

LG 14-8-1917

INFANTRY.

Yorkshire Regt.

Capt. (temp.) (temp. Maj.) J. A. R. Thomson to be Capt. (temp. Maj.), with precedence as from 5th Aug. 1914. 15th Aug. 1917.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...%20R.%20Thomson

LG 3-9-1917

Yorkshire Regt.

Capt. J. A. R. Thomson to be actg. Lt.-Col. whilst comdg. Bn. 25th July 1917.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...%20R.%20Thomson

London Gazette 7-1-1919

Awarded the Croix de Guerre

Captain (acting Major) James Albert Raymond Thomson, D.S.O., Yorkshire Regiment (Territorial Force).

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.a...lbert%20raymond

Steve.

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From SDGW:

Regiment, Corps etc.: Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment)

Battalion etc.: 5th Battalion (Territorial)

Last name: Thomson

First name(s): James Albert Raymond

Initials: J A R

Decoration:

Rank: LT-COL

Date died: 27 May 1918

How died: Killed in action

Dosn't add much, strange that theres no mention of his DSO or Croix

Grant

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Lt Col James Albert Raymond Thomson DSO – 5th Battalion.

James Thomson was born in Huddersfield in 1876 and was a pre-war territorial officer with the 5th battalion.

He took the Yorkshires first prisoners of war at Hull in 1914 whilst in charge of interned German shipping.

Captain Thomson sailed with the battalion from Southampton landing at Le Havre on April 16th 1915.

He saw action at St Julien and Hooge during the second Ypres battle and was wounded in action close to Dickebusche on December 19th 1915.

During the “Operations at the Bluff” in February of 1916 he was wounded again but was back with the battalion in September during the Somme offensive.

By now promoted, Major Thomson fought at the Battle of Arras in April 1917 and on July 10th assumed command of the battalion at Cherisy when Lt Col Pearce was wounded.

The battalion fought rearguard actions during the German spring offensive in March 1918 and on the 25th of the month the GOC 24th Brigade sent for the newly promoted Lt Col Thomson to thank him for the efforts made by the officers and men of the battalion during the German onslaught.

On April 25th 1918 Lt Col Thomson and the battalion were moved to what was considered to be a “quiet area” on the Chemin des Dames ridge.

On May 27th with the Yorkshires on the Craonne Plateau the Germans launched a

“totally unexpected attack” on the British line.

By 6-00am Lt Col Thomson’s last report was received, “HQ company fighting about the command post and appear to be surrounded”.

Lt Col James Albert Raymond Thomson DSO was killed in this action on May 27th 1918 at the age of 42.

His grave today can be seen in Vendresse British Cemetery on the Aisne ten miles south of Laon.

James Thomson was the son of James and Eliza Thomson and the husband of Ethel Thomson of “The Uplands”, Malton in North Yorkshire.

His name is remembered on the Sledmere Cross close to the home of his former commanding officer, Sir Mark Sykes and also on Malton War Memorial.

Bob.

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  • 10 months later...

An image J A R Thompson can be found on one of the stain glass windows of Malton Church in North Yorkshire. I think there are two Cof E churches in Malton I forget which one his image can be found in.

In a broader sense are there any other churches which have the iimages of Great War soldiers in stain glass, I wonder?

Regards

David

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An image J A R Thompson can be found on one of the stain glass windows of Malton Church in North Yorkshire. I think there are two Cof E churches in Malton I forget which one his image can be found in.

In a broader sense are there any other churches which have the iimages of Great War soldiers in stain glass, I wonder?

Regards

David

David. Thank you for the Information about J.A.R. Thompson Malton is not to far away from home.

Best Regards Peter.

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