Sgt 24039 Stephen Thompson

• Age: 24
• From: Didsbury Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 10th October 1918
• Commemorated at: Highland Cem Le Cateau
  Panel Ref: X.C.9

Stephen Thompson was born in 1894 in Didsbury, Manchester the son of Peter Thompson and his wife Agnes (nee Hobson). Peter Thompson, from Preston, and Agnes Hobson, born in Liverpool, married in Blackburn in 1873 and had eleven children, of which Stephen was the youngest. His siblings were James, born in Blackburn,  Elizabeth, born in Manchester, and by 1878 his parents had settled in Didsbury, where nine more children were born: George, John (died at age 4), Peter, Frank, William, Agnes, Charlie, Amy, and Stephen.

Some of his older siblings had moved out of the home, in South Road, Didsbury, (married or joined the military) before Stephen was born. 

At the time of the 1901 census the family, with seven children, is living at 97 Wilmslow Road, Didsbury.  His father is a stonemason, Stephen is 6.  Also in the household is 19-year-old niece Rachel Scully.

By 1911 they have moved to 43 Chapel Street, Didsbury.  His parents are both 57, his father still working as a stonemason.  Agnes, 23, and Amy, 19, have no occupation.  Charlie, 22, is an advertising manager.  Stephen,  16, is an apprentice in the motor industry.

His father died in 1912, aged 59.

He enlisted in Manchester and was formerly 6145, Manchester Regiment. He served for over four years, enlisting soon after war was declared in August or September 1914.  He arrived in France on 04th September 1915.  At some point Stephen was transferred to the 14th Bn. King’s Liverpool Regiment and was serving with the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Sergeant No 24039 when he was killed in action on the 10th October 1918 aged 24 during the hundred days offensive which ended the First World War (8^th August-11^th November 1918).

On 7th October 1918 the 18th Bn arrives at the Hindenburg Line and pursues the retreating German army.  The battalion War Diary records -  

10th October 1918 - At 0230 hours the battalion moved forward to a position near RUEMONT, and attacked towards LE CATEAU at 0510.  Very little opposition was met with at the start but later considerable M.G. fire was encountered. …  Our right company was not in touch with the flank, and the troops on the right appeared to be held up by M.G. fire from the railway embankment … A short length of trench on the high ground immediately E. of LE CATEAU was also reported to be held by the enemy.  At 0848 the Centre Coy reached K.33.b and pushed a platoon into the N. W. outskirts of LE CATEAU.  The right company was temporarily held up by MG and sniper fire, but appeared to be almost in the town itself.  Hostile M.G. fire was reported from the direction of Q.10. … Houses in K.28.a were reported to be strongly held by the Bosche, and a patrol was sent out to investigate and deal with them. … During the advance on LE CATEAU considerable difficulty was experienced, owing to a “whizz bang” battery being able to fire over open sights at the troops as they moved up the rise and along a slight valley.

Total Casualties from 7th to 13th October:

Killed – 2 Officers, 18 O.R.

Wounded – 6 Officers, 111 O.R.

Died of Wounds – 1 O.R.

Wounded and Missing – 1 Officer, 20 O.R.

Stephen was one of the casualties referred to in the diary, he was buried close to where he fell and after the war, when graves were concentrated, his grave was found, marked with a cross and his body identified by his clothing (CWGC graves report shows 924039 Sgt. S. Thompson 11th K.L.R. KIA 23/10/18).  He was reinterred in Highland Cemetery, Le Cateau, France, where he now rests. His headstone bears the epitaph:

“ONE OF THE BEST”

After the Battle of Le Cateau (26 August 1914), the town remained in German hands until the middle of October 1918. The original cemetery (Plot III) was made by the 50th (Northumbrian) Division after the fighting of 17 October; the name of Highland Cemetery is suggestive at once of the comparatively high ground on which it stands and of the 32 graves of the 13th (Scottish Horse) Battalion, Black Watch, found in this plot. The cemetery was greatly enlarged after the Armistice when graves of October and November 1918 were brought in from isolated positions on all sides of Le Cateau. Highland Cemetery now contains 624 First World War burials. The cemetery was designed by Charles Holden.

Stephen earned his three medals.

His mother Agnes received his Army effects of £37-16s-9d and a War Gratuity of £26-10s.

The pension card in the name of his mother, living at 36 Chapel Street, Didsbury, shows that a pension was awarded, amount unknown.

His brother Charlie enlisted in 1915, served in the D.C.L.I. and later the Tank Corps, and achieved the rank of Sergeant.  He was discharged in 1920.

Peter had served in the Cheshire Regiment before the war, and in 1916 enlisted in the Army Ordnance Corps.  He was discharged in 1919 with a partial pension.

William had served in the Cheshire regiment Cadet Corps as a lad, then the K.O.R.L. He enlisted in the Cheshire Reg. Territorials in 1909, was discharged to join Manchester City Police in 1911, and joined the colours at the outbreak of war.  He served as a Corporal in the Royal Lancs Reg. and was killed in action on 10th August 1915 at Gallipoli.  He was 30 years old, married with two daughters.  William is commemorated on the Helles Memorial in Turkey.

His mother died in 1923 aged 86.

Stephen and William are both commemorated on the following memorials -

Didsbury War Memorial

Didsbury National & Elm Grove Schools 

We currently have no further information on Stephen Thompson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.