John Thomson

Tyne Cot Memorial. Authors image

S/12205 Private

1/5th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, 103rd Infantry Brigade, 34th Division

Age: 29

Date of Death: 28.9.18

Buried: Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 141 to 143

Family history: Son of Robert Thomson, his mother having died, he had a brother and two sisters. He listed his sister  Jeanie, who resided at Main Street, Polmont, as his next of kin. Prior to enlisting John was employed as a joiner. His brother Kenneth, who was serving with the 8th  Battalion Royal Scots, was killed in action on 9 April 1917 and is buried in Roclincourt Military Cemetery grave I.B.25.

The action leading to his death

On the 28 September 1918 the Battalion was involved in the opening attack of what the official nomenclature listed as The Final Breakout: Battle of Ypres 28 September to 2 October 1918. The Battalion was in the Vierstraat Line opposite the German line at Wytschaete and attacked at 3.30am on the morning of 28 September under enemy shell fire. By 6.30am ‘A’ company had taken Red Chateau with eight prisoners, ‘D’ Company, on the left of the attack, was held up by machine gun fire, and had been reinforced by ‘B’ Company. By 10am the line ran through Grand Bois to north to Brickstacks and          Battalion HQ was located in the middle of Grand Bois.

Linesman Map showing the Vierstraat Line in Red and the area of the attack on 28 September

The Battalion then moved forward again at 3.30pm with ‘B’ Company storming Zero House and capturing a few prisoners, two anti-tank guns, a trench mortar, and a machine gun. Battalion casualties were: 1 officer killed, 14 Other Ranks killed, 47 wounded and 23 missing.

Medals Awarded:

The British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Private John Thomson, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. Medal Index Card