BORN THORNABY ON TEES, 1890. ELDEST SON OF RALPH HUNTER THOMPSON AND CHARLOTTE THOMPSON, OF 60 ESTCOURT STREET, NEWBRIDGE ROAD, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS). SON OF A BLACKSMITH, ONE OF EIGHT CHILDREN, INCLUDING SIX SISTERS. HE LIVED IN HULL, WITH HIS BROTHER IN LAW, AT 8 CARLTON AVENUE, VICTOR STREET, HULL, AND WORKED AS A MACHINE DRILLER. (1911 CENSUS).
HE ENLISTED AT SELBY, YORKSHIRE. SERVED WITH THE 2ND BN. COLDSTREAM GUARDS. HE DIED ON 14/09/1916, AGED 26 AT GINCHY OR LES BOUEFS. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 17/11/16. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS MOTHER CHARLOTTE.
HIS DEATH IS LISTED IN SOLDIERS DIED RECORDS, BUT NOT IN THE COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVE RECORDS?
From the Unit War Diary 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards. It records the following: September 11th to 13th- dugouts at Carnoy
14 September 1916 -At 8pm the Battalion moved up to Ginchy and took over trenches from 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards. Relief completed about midnight.
15 September- At 6:30am Battalion advanced to the assault with 3rd Coldstream Guards on left and 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards (2nd Brigade) on right. Position of companies: Number 3 company left front, Number 4 company right front, Number 1 company left support, Number 2 company right support.
On emerging from Ginchy Wood the line came under very heavy machine gun and rifle fire and despite our artillery barrage casualties were very heavy. Two lines of trenches were captured and left and the original objective-1000-2000 yards was taken without great opposition at 7:15am.
The 2nd Coldstream. Appoximate casualties were given as 15 Officers (all except Lt. Laing) and 440 Other Ranks, killed, wounded and missing
