Gerald Henry Thomson

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Commander (retired) Gerald Henry Thomson (25 August, 1887 – 26 February, 1942) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

The son of Major-General H. Thomson, C.B. was born in Canterbury, Kent.

After passing out of Britannia with two and a half months' time, Thomson went to China and served first in the armoured cruisers Cressy and Hogue. When Hogue paid off on 2 May 1906, Thomson was appointed to Triumph for a year. On 12 October 1907 he was appointed to the battleship London. He left the ship, sick, in March 1908.[1]

Thomson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 April, 1910 and sent to Mercury for instructions in submarines. On 8 August, he was appointed to Vulcan for submarine C 25. He was removed from this appointment on 19 November after paying mess bills by cheques which bounced, being sent to Queen in the Atlantic. On 8 May 1906, he was appointed to Triumph where he spent 17 months, and then was appointed to the battleship London in the Home Fleet on 12 October, 1907.[2]

In May through August, 1911 he was sick in Plymouth Hospital, though the diagnosis is either not indicated or simply abbreviated as "M.C.F.." On 31 August, he was sent to erjoin Queen, taking passage in H.M.S. Sirius. In February, 1912, Thomson asked to be re-admitted to submarine service, but was refused. On 14 May 1912, Thomson was appointed to the pre-dreadnought Zealandia of the Third Battle Squadron. A seaman was injured while disembarking ammunition from the ship in August of 1913, and Thomson was blamed for having failed to take seamanlike precaution in the evolution.[3]

Thomson was appointed Lieutenant in Command of the first-class torpedo boat T.B. 107 on 2 June, 1914.[4]

On 14 November, 1914, Thomson was appointed in command of the destroyer Roebuck.[5]

On 17 August, 1915, an appointment in command of T.B. 2 was quickly cancelled, and replaced on 21 August with command of T.B. 22.

On Leap Year's Day of 1916, Thomson was appointed in command of the sweeping sloop Godetia. One month later, he was moved to the Daphne, which he would command for six months.

On 3 October 1916, Thomson was appointed in command of the destroyer Nizam, which was operating with the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla, screening the Grand Fleet.

Thomson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 1 April, 1918.[6]

Thomson was appointed in command of the destroyer Sparrowhawk on 7 August, 1918.[7] It would be his last sea-going command, and last until 1 February, 1920, after which he was placed on the Retired List with gratuity on 19 April, 1920.[8]

Thomson was promoted to the rank of Commander on the Retired List dated 25 August, 1927.[9]

World War II

On 6 February, 1940, Thomson was appointed in command of H.M.S. Stag, a shore base for R.N. personnel in Port Said, Egypt. He took ill from diabetes and died in February 1942 after several re-appointments.

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Graham F. W. Wilson
Captain of H.M. T.B. 107
2 Jun, 1914[10][11] – 14 Nov, 1914[12][13]
Succeeded by
Howard V. P. Weston
Preceded by
Claude H. Woodward
Captain of H.M.S. Roebuck
14 Nov, 1914[14][15] – 17 Aug, 1915[16]
Succeeded by
James G. P. Bisset
Preceded by
Alfred G. Peace
Captain of H.M. T.B. 22
21 Aug, 1915[17][18] – 29 Feb, 1916[19]
Succeeded by
Lambert N. B. Morgan
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Godetia
29 Feb, 1916[20] – 26 Mar, 1916[21]
Succeeded by
Hubert H. Holland
Preceded by
?
Captain of H.M.S. Daphne
26 Mar, 1916[22] – 19 Sep, 1916[23]
Succeeded by
Roland A. Clark
Preceded by
John O. Barron
Captain of H.M.S. Nizam
3 Oct, 1916[24][25] – 7 Aug, 1918[26]
Succeeded by
David L. Cowan
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of H.M.S. Sparrowhawk
7 Aug, 1918[27][28] – 1 Feb, 1920[29]
Succeeded by
Lawrence F. N. Ommanney

Footnotes

  1. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  2. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  3. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  4. The Navy List. (October, 1914). p. 402.
  5. The Navy List. (January, 1915). p. 377a.
  6. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  7. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 909.
  8. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  9. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  10. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  11. The Navy List. (October, 1914). p. 402.
  12. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), 17 Nov. 1914, p. 5.
  13. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  14. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  15. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 397n.
  16. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  17. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  18. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 401.
  19. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  20. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  21. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  22. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  23. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  24. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  25. The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 395z.
  26. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  27. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.
  28. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 909.
  29. Thomson Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/141. f. 153.