Wilfred Arthur Thompson

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Captain (retired) Wilfred Arthur Thompson, R.N., Retired (27 April, 1881 – 12 March, 1932) served in the Royal Navy.

His first name is spelled as "Wilfrid" in some Navy Lists.

Life & Career

Thompson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1902.[1]

Thompson was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1910.[2]

He was appointed to the light cruiser Glasgow of the South Atlantic Squadron as first lieutenant on 17 September, 1912.

In November 1913, Thompson committed a terrible misstep when he published a letter in "The Pioneer" of Leicester which outlined aspects of discipline within Glasgow. That he received no obvious punishment beyond mention in his service record that the letter was regarded as "libellous" seems remarkable.[3]

Great War

Having been repeatedly recommended for promotion by Glasgow's Captain Luce, Thompson served in the Battle of the Falklands in Glasgow, and was mentioned in despatches and recommended after the battle by Vice-Admiral Sturdee. Accordingly, Thompson was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1914.[4]

On 14 August, 1915, after some work as an Acting Interpreter in Spanish, Thompson embarked on a steamer for home, from Montevideo, arriving home on 4 September. He was tasked with examining the papers of the Chilean ship Orion and completed this work on 16 September. He was appointed to the "M" Class destroyer Mystic that day, to assume command upon her commissioning. Very soon thereafter, he transferred to H.M.S. Martin. On the night of the 3rd/4th January, 1916, he grounded his destroyer upon entering Holyhead and was cautioned to be more careful in future.[5]

1916 saw him in a succession of destroyer commands in Nerissa, Forester and finally Lance at the end of the year when he received an appointment in command of the "R" Class destroyer Surprise.[6] A unit of the Harwich Force's Tenth Destroyer Flotilla, Thompson was destined to be the destroyer's only captain. She saw action when he commanded her on 23 January, 1917 in action against German destroyers.[7] He was mentioned in despatches for his unstinting service as he "distinguished himself on many occasions with the Harwich Force."[8]

Thompson survived the mining and loss of Surprise along with her consorts Tornado and Torrent on 23 December, 1917.[9]

Thompson was appointed in command of the monitor Roberts on 22 January, 1918.[10]

On 12 August, 1918, he left Roberts and was appointed to President to join the Naval Intelligence Division.[11]

Post-War

Thompson's work with the D.N.I. ran to 28 November, 1920 when he commenced work inside the Admiralty in connection with the Naval Mission to Romania and was granted permission to study Portuguese in his own time.[12]

Thompson was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 1 August, 1925 and was awarded the Star of Roumania (Commander) in recognition of his services to their government, receiving unrestricted permission from the Admiralty to accept and wear the device. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on the Retired List on 27 April, 1926.[13]

See Also

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Ernest L. Cardale 		Captain of H.M.S. Hasty
1 Mar, 1907[14] 		Succeeded by
Robert H. B. Hammond-Chambers
Preceded by
Sandford G. R. Nevile 		Captain of H.M.S. Griffon
19 Apr, 1909[15][16] – 22 Mar, 1910[17][18] 		Succeeded by
George W. Taylor
Preceded by
Claud F. Allsup 		Captain of H.M.S. Martin
Oct, 1915[19] 		Succeeded by
Ambrose M. Peck
Preceded by
Montague G. B. Legge 		Captain of H.M.S. Forester
Mar, 1916[20] – Jan, 1917[21][Inference] 		Succeeded by
Austen G. Lilley
Preceded by
New Command 		Captain of H.M.S. Surprise
Jan, 1917[22] 		Succeeded by
Ralph M. Mack

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Thompson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/70. f. 70.
  2. ↑ Thompson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/70. f. 70.
  3. ↑ Thompson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/70. f. 70.
  4. ↑ Thompson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/70. f. 70.
  5. ↑ Thompson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/70. f. 70.
  6. ↑ Thompson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/70. f. 70.
  7. ↑ Naval Operations. Vol. IV. pp. 74-8 and index.
  8. ↑ Thompson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/70. f. 70.
  9. ↑ Thompson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/70. f. 70.
  10. ↑ Thompson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/70. f. 70.
  11. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1918). p. 870.
  12. ↑ Thompson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/70. f. 70.
  13. ↑ Thompson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/70. f. 70.
  14. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1908). p. 324.
  15. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1909). p. 323.
  16. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 323.
  17. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1910). p. 323.
  18. ↑ Taylor Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48. f. 438.
  19. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 396.
  20. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 394m.
  21. ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 394m.
  22. ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 398c.

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