THOMPSON, George William
| Service Number: | 450 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 September 1914, Helena Vale (Helena Valley), Western Australia |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Bridlington, England, 10 May 1889 |
| Home Town: | Wyening, Victoria Plains, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Natural Causes (war service related), Wyening, Western Australia, 9 May 1924, aged 34 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Helena Vale (Helena Valley), Western Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 450, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 450, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne | |
| 16 Feb 1919: | Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 450, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
| 17 Feb 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1 |
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"A Diggers Sad Death.
After landing at Gallipoli with A.I.F. troops, and dodging the messengers of Death for many weary weeks in the Great war. Digger George William Thompson of Wyening, met his end in a very sad and unfortunate manner, on Friday, May 9th last. He, with his partner, Mr. Walter Wray, owned "Meridale Farm," at Wyening for the past two years, and met with the many set-backs and successes that comes to pioneer settlers. For some time past the deceased was subject to apoplectic seizures which were accentuated by the after-effects of poison gas, received at the war, and which, naturally, were a great drawback to him in his work.
On the Friday evening he was, we understand, following his usual routine, and had gone to bring in some cows. Darkness fell, and he had not returned, and his partner, missing him from the house, became anxious. Attempts were made to locate the missing man by coo-ee-ing, but little could be done in the darkness. Early next morning search parties were organised, and eventually the body of Thompson was found not far from the house. Apparently the unfortunate digger had been over-taken with a seizure and had fallen on his face in the sand, suffocating himself. It was a sad end to a man who had offered his life to his country, only to have it spared for a lonely death in the big Australian bush. Deceased was about 38 years of age, and was a native of Durham. He had no relatives in this country, with the exception, of a cousin, Mr. Frank Thompson of Pithara, but he was a likeable man and had made many comrades in the district. He was an old member of the 16th Battalion, with which he served "right through the piece," as the diggers termed it. The funeral occurred in Toodyay on Monday, the body having been brought from Wyening by motor car. The Rev. J. Mason performed the the last rituals, and the remains were followed by many diggers and cobbers including numerous representatives of the Bolgart-Calingiri returned soldiers' branch. The "Last Post" was sounded at the graveside by Mr Reg. Caddy." - from the Toodyay Herald 17 May 1924 (nla.gov.au)
"Thanks.
I desire to sincerely thank the residents of Bolgart—Calingiri district for the kindly and prompt manner in which they helped in the search for my partner, Mr George W. Thompson; also all friends who attended to the funeral arrangements Wyening, 13/5/'24. WALTER WRAY." - from the Toodyay Herald 17 May 1924 (nla.gov.au)