THOMPSON, Harold George
| Service Number: | 6896 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 January 1917, Warrnambool |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 23rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Warrnambool, Victoria, 1900 |
| Home Town: | Warrnambool, Warrnambool, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Grocer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Villers-Bretonneux, France, 23 July 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery XX. B. 4., Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Jan 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6896, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Warrnambool | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 May 1917: | Involvement Private, 6896, 23rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 11 May 1917: | Embarked Private, 6896, 23rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Melbourne | |
| 23 Jul 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 6896, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Villers-Bretonneux |
Help us honour Harold George Thompson's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Michael Silver
Private Harold George Thompson, generally known amongst his friends as "Jack" Thompson, was killed in action in France on 23rd July last, at the early age of 18 years and 10 months, after a plucky career in the Army and Navy. He was the fifth surviving son of Mr. and Mrs. George Thompson, Lava-street, Warrnambool, and all five sons have enlisted for active service. Gordon, an original Anzac, fell in battle at Gallipoli,and the others are still at the front. "Jack" was in the Navy when war broke out, and was in training at Sydney, where he won the Coogee gold medal and life saving certificate before he was 16 years of age. While on the Encounter he met with, an accident, which eventually rendered him unfit for further service with the navy. Invalided home and later discharged with an excellont character, he received the returned Soldiers' and Sailors' badge or medal and a pension for life. But the call of Empire was too strong, and renouncing his pension he re-enlisted in the army (after two months' rest), and came home to implore the consent of his parents, being not yet 18 years old. After a short season in camp he left for England on 11th May, 1917, and was on active service up to the time of his death. Prior to joining the Royal Navy he was employed by Swinton's Pty. He was cox for the Warrnambool Rowing Club in succession to his brother Arthur,and piloted his crew to victory in the Colac Junior Fours, in 1915. He was a bright, happy lad and a brave one, and much sympathy will be felt for his sorrowing parents.
Warnambool Standard: Wednesday, 11 September 1918 - Page 3.
Click images to start slideshow.