Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE… LEST WE FORGET

THOMSON.— The Relatives and Friends of Mrs. E. F. Thomson, June, and Chloe Alexander (U.S.A.), are invited to attend the Funeral of her beloved Husband and their  Father,  Ernest Leslie (Pat.), Thomson (Boer War Veteran, 9th Battn., 1st A.I.F., Garrison, 2nd A.I.F.). to leave the Funeral Parlour. 45 Adelaide Street, City, This (Friday) Morning, at 10
o'clock, for the Lutwyche Cemetery.

Documentation on the services in the South African (Boer) War, WW1 and WW2 (Home Duties) of Ernest Leslie Thomson indicate the alternate use of Thompson as his surname.

When he enlisted in 1901 in the 6th QIB, Boer War, he is recorded as Ernest Leslie Thompson in the Boer War Service Paybooks and The Queenslander newspaper. His details were published with the rank and file of the 6th QIB in The Queenslander, 13 Apr 1901, where his N.O.K. was noted as Mrs. York, Pittsworth. Mrs. York was his mother, Ellen Thomson (nee Peardon) who had remarried to George James Yorke on 28 May 1885 in Queensland after her first husband, William Thomson, had passed in 1879. 

When he enlisted in 1914 for WW1 the embarkation roll has him as Thompson, nominal roll as Thomson, and Attestation Form as Thompson. On his Attestation Form, dated 14 Sep 1914, he notes; he was born at Southbrook, Qld, and was 30 years 4 months old, he was a storekeeper, single, and his N.O.K. was his brother William at Ilfracombe; and he had previously served in South Africa in the 6th QIB.

When he enlisted again in 1939 for WW2 he is recorded as Thomson. on his Attestation Form, dated 26 Oct 1939, he notes; he was born at Pittsworth, Qld, on 6 Jun 1882 and was 57 years 4 months old; he was a miner, married to Ethel Frances Thompson and living at Highgate Hill, Qld; and he had previously served at Gallipoli, France in the Infantry (WW1). 

While Ernest Leslie Thomson had indicated he was born on 6 Jun 1882 and his death registration with BDM Qld records his father as William, noting William had passed in 1879, his age may have been altered for the purposes of enlistment in WW2, or earlier services. BDM Qld online registers do not list his birth. He married Ethel Frances Dwyer on 23 Dec 1921 in Queensland and they had 2 children.

(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 515; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 6th QIB, Bk 2 p. 53; National Archives Australia- WW1 and WW2 service records).