James THOMSON

THOMSON, James

Service Number: 2262
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Corporal
Last Unit: 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1)
Born: Shawhead, New Abbey, Kirkcudbrightshire [now Dumfries and Galloway,] Scotland. , 1885
Home Town: Perth, Western Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Brick-Layer
Died: Accident, France, 9 January 1917
Cemetery: Dartmoor Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt
Grave I. F. 5., Dartmoor Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt, Picardie, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

25 Jun 1915: Involvement Private, 2262, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: ''
25 Jun 1915: Embarked Private, 2262, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Wandilla, Fremantle
4 Jan 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1)

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Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon

James enlisted in March 1915 at Perth, Western Australia and joined his Battalion in July 1915 at Gallipoli, Turkey where he wounded in action. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli the Battalion were moved to France and in August 1916 he was again wounded in action. He re-joined his unit in December but on 9 January 1917 he was killed when the roof of a building collapsed while he was leading a work party to clear the cellar. 

 

He was 31 and the son of Elizabeth Thomson, of Knockenhooly, Southwick, Dumfries, Scotland, and the late James Thomson.

He is recorded on the Southwick Roll of Honour as Joseph W. Thomson.

Although his attestation papers say he was born in Australia, he was in fact born in Shawhead, New Abbey, Kirkcudbrightshire, now Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

New Abbey is a village in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is around 6 miles south of Dumfries.

His brother fell whilst serving with British forces. He was Private Robert Thomson, (40294) 12th Battalion, Royal Scots. Age 34. He is on the Irongray Parish War Memorial, Kirkcudbrightshire but James is not.

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