Pte
John Robertson Thomson
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1891 |
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Place of birth: Cowdenbeath, Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 235495 |
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Enlistment place: Milnathort, Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Gordon Highlanders, 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Broodseinde, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 26 |
Cemetery
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Polygon Wood Cemetery Plot: / Row: D Grave: 2A |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Private John Robertson Thomson served in the Gordon Highlanders 2nd Battalion, part of the 20th Brigade, of the 7th Division.
On the 4th of October 1917 the 7th Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. Its attack was carried by two Brigades, the 91st on the right and the 20th Brigade on the left. They advanced from positions just northeast of Polygon Wood. Their objective was the Broodseinde Ridge and the Beselare-Passchendaele Road. The advance of the 20th Brigade was carried by the Devonshire Regiment 8th Battalion. Once they had captured the first objective, the 2nd Gordons would move through them and capture the 2nd objective.
When forming up the Germans put down a barrage behind 8th Devons and partly on the support and reserve companies of the Gordons. The 2nd Gordons were forced to move closer to the leading Battalion in order to reduce casualties. At 4.30 a.m. the German artillery again put down an intense fire on the allied lines. At 6 a.m. the attack began and the 8th Devons advanced behind a creeping barrage, closely followed by the 2nd Gordons. The Gordons then took up positions about 400 yards beyond the former frontline.
At 7 a.m. the 8th Devons had captured the first objective. About one hour later the 2nd Gordons moved through the 8th Devons, when the barrage moved forward again. The barrage drove everything beyond it, inflicting heavy casualties on the German defenders. The Germans had been planning an attack themselves on the 4th of October and they had consequently concentrated many troops in their frontline. Moments before the German infantry was going to attack they were caught in the allied barrage. The German soldiers had almost no place to hide. The ones that survived the heavy shelling were quickly dispersed, killed or taken prisoner by the advancing troops. Even the Germans in the concrete strongpoints were utterly shocked. Most of them surrendered without putting up a fight.
At 9 a.m. the Battalion had reached its objective. And started consolidating a line near the hamlet of Nordemdhoek at the Beselare-Passchendaele Road on the Broodseinde Ridge. From this point on the German artillery started shelling the new frontline.
Private John Robertson Thomson was killed in action on the 4th of October 1917. He was buried at Polygon Wood Cemetery, row D, grave 2A.
On the 4th of October 1917 the 7th Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. Its attack was carried by two Brigades, the 91st on the right and the 20th Brigade on the left. They advanced from positions just northeast of Polygon Wood. Their objective was the Broodseinde Ridge and the Beselare-Passchendaele Road. The advance of the 20th Brigade was carried by the Devonshire Regiment 8th Battalion. Once they had captured the first objective, the 2nd Gordons would move through them and capture the 2nd objective.
When forming up the Germans put down a barrage behind 8th Devons and partly on the support and reserve companies of the Gordons. The 2nd Gordons were forced to move closer to the leading Battalion in order to reduce casualties. At 4.30 a.m. the German artillery again put down an intense fire on the allied lines. At 6 a.m. the attack began and the 8th Devons advanced behind a creeping barrage, closely followed by the 2nd Gordons. The Gordons then took up positions about 400 yards beyond the former frontline.
At 7 a.m. the 8th Devons had captured the first objective. About one hour later the 2nd Gordons moved through the 8th Devons, when the barrage moved forward again. The barrage drove everything beyond it, inflicting heavy casualties on the German defenders. The Germans had been planning an attack themselves on the 4th of October and they had consequently concentrated many troops in their frontline. Moments before the German infantry was going to attack they were caught in the allied barrage. The German soldiers had almost no place to hide. The ones that survived the heavy shelling were quickly dispersed, killed or taken prisoner by the advancing troops. Even the Germans in the concrete strongpoints were utterly shocked. Most of them surrendered without putting up a fight.
At 9 a.m. the Battalion had reached its objective. And started consolidating a line near the hamlet of Nordemdhoek at the Beselare-Passchendaele Road on the Broodseinde Ridge. From this point on the German artillery started shelling the new frontline.
Private John Robertson Thomson was killed in action on the 4th of October 1917. He was buried at Polygon Wood Cemetery, row D, grave 2A.
Sources 3
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2 Battalion Gordon Highlanders, (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1656/2). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Further reference |
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Falls C., The Gordon Highlanders in the First World War : 1914-1919, (The University Press, 1958), page 160 - 163. Sources used |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres, Passchendaele day-by-day Account, (London, Arms and Armour, 1995)., page 98 - 100. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/827642 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=a2e9388b-50ab-488e-b620-85171b8bb3f1 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/4428342 |