2nd Lieutenant George Eric Thompson

• Age: 20
• From:
• Regiment: 12TH KINGS 17th Btn
• Died on Sunday 3rd September 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

George Eric Thompson was born in the March quarter of 1896 at Church Road, Huyton with Roby. He was the son of George Henderson Thompson and his wife Gertrude Fanny(nee Grahl) who married in Leeds in the March quarter of 1895. His father was born in Berwick on Tweed and was a Solicitor. His mother was born in Leeds. George Eric was their first born of two children, his brother Gerald Conrad Thompson was born in 1903.

The 1901 Census shows George aged 5 with his Parents and 3 Servants at Church Rd, Huyton with Roby.

The 1911 Census shows George aged 15 at school at Harrow.

He was educated at Dunchurch Hall, Rugby and later at Harrow. Whilst at Harrow he played for the Cricket XI in 1913 and played in the Association Football XI against Winchester also in 1913.

Prior to the outbreak of war he was employed by Messrs Milligan and Mackintosh, Cotton Merchants. Akeen sportsman, George was a member of West Lancashire Golf Club and played cricket for Northern Cricket Club.

George enlisted at St George's Hall on the 31^st August 1914 aged 20. One of the Cotton Contingent who joined  the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He was enlisted as Private 15589. He is described as being 5 foot 8 inches tall, weighed 133lbs, and his chest was 37 and a half inches. He had brown eyes and hair. His religion was Church of England. On 23 June 1915 he was promoted to Lance Corporal. Then on 30 July 1915 after 334 days he was discharged to attend Officers Training Course.

George received his Commission in December 1915 and was serving as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the 12^th Battalion when he was killed in action on the 3^rd September 1916 aged 20 whilst leading his platoon into action at Waterlot Farm during the fighting for the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

"On 3rd September 1916 for the 12th Btn of The King's Liverpool Regiment, zero hour was set for 12 noon for the attack on Guillemont. Throughout the previous day the 2nd British Guns had shelled it violently. At 9 a.m. the 12th Btn moved forward to Assembly Trenches east of Bernafay Wood. At 8.25 p.m. Brigade HQ received a message that two companies of the 12th Btn were holding the line in trenches south east of Ginchy. The 12th Btn had lost 187 men of all ranks after being very heavily shelled and those remaining were relieved at 5.30 a.m. on 5th September 1916. Guillemont finally taken by us on 5th September by the blood of gallant men." 

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Following his death the family received letters from his fellow officers. The Colonel wrote:

"Your son was such an excellent Officer, and I expected to hear great things of him. Unhappily it was not to be and he has laid down his life for his country, as so many have done in this terrible war"

Other officers wrote:

"I knew him better than most people and shall miss him more than anyone in the Battalion. It is certain that no one went into that attack with more coolness and pluck. Iknow this, that before I left for HQ., we had a long talk together, and it quite braced me up, for we knew at that time that we were going over the top. I know how much you will miss him, but he died a soldiers death and played "cricket" to the end"

"Someone who was there said that Eric was most splendidly calm and collected, which is another instance of the people who can control their nerves at games doing conspicuously well at this game"

"I should like you to know how extremely well-liked Eric was by everyone with whom he came into contact. He was a great favourite both in the ranks and as an Officer"
  

His parentswho were living at "The Barn", Formby received his Army pay and pension.

George Eric is also commemorated on the following Memorials,

Harrow School

St Nicholas Church, Blundellsands 

Cotton Association, Walker House, Exchange Flags, Liverpool.  

Formby War Memorial

Northern Cricket Club

Liverpool Hall of Remembrance Panel 38 Left 

St Peters Church Formby where his name appears on the Somme Cross in the gardens of the church. This cross was made with recovered wood from the Somme trenches. It was brought back to Formby from Ginchy advanced dressing station cememtery shortly after the end of the war by the dead men's relatives and has stood in the in the churchyard ever since. The wooden cross has since rotted away and been replaced however the metal inscription is the original made by the soldiers of the Great War. 

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