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Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 704

The annuity M.S.M. awarded to Regimental Sergeant-Major F. D. Thompson, 2nd Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry, a long-standing member of the Regiment who was seriously wounded during the Battalion's heroic action during the Second Battle of Ypres

1914-15 Star (7293 C.Q.M. Sjt. F. Thompson. Shrops:L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (7293 A.W.O. Cl.2. F. Thompson. K.S.L.I.); Defence Medal 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (4026129 W.O. Cl.I. F. Thompson. K.S.L.I.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R. (4026129 W.O. Cl. 1. F. D. Thomson. K.S.L.I.), the surname officially corrected, mounted as worn, light pitting, polished, very fine (6)

Frank Douglas Thompson, also spelled Thomson, was born at Knighton, Radnor in 1881 and attested at Shrewsbury on 30 April 1903. He saw service in India prior to the war and had reached the rank of Company Quartermaster Sergeant when the war began. Thompson entered the war in France on 21 December 1914 and was stationed with the Battalion in the reserve trenches at Ypres when the Germans launched a major offensive on 22 April 1915.

The Battalion was dug in between Bellewaerde Wood and Polygon Woods when the attack began but the enemy failed to breakthrough in that area. The result was that the Shropshires were earmarked for counter-attacks the week after the German offensive in an attempt to claw back some ground from the enemy. Thompson was severely wounded on 27 April and invalided from the line.

He spent a good deal of the rest of the war convalescing but managed to return to the fight in July 1918 having been renumbered 44422. After the war he remained in service, being advanced Regimental Sergeant Major in 1920 and marrying Fanny Lee at Shrewsbury on 22 February 1921. Discharged on 29 January 1926 his retirement notice read:

'R.S.M. F. Thomson, a Shropshire man by birth, enlisted on 20th April, 1903, and joined the 1st Battalion four months later.
He became a paid lance-corporal after eight months' service, but gave up his paid appointment next year for school employment. While so employed he gained his first-class certificate: 1906 found him again a paid lance-corporal and in 1909 he joined the 2nd Battalion in India.
A sergeant when the Battalion arrived in France, he speedily rose to the rank of Acting Company Sergeant Major. Unfortunately he was very severely wounded in April, 1915, when the 2nd Bn. Were making history in the heroic defence of Ypres. Despite his wound which he had not really recovered from he managed to get out to France again in July, 1918, being drafted to the 7th Battalion.
On 28th July, 1920, he was promoted R.S.M. of the 2nd Bn. Then at the Curragh Camp.
A keen sportsman, he has always been to the fore in every kind of game. Possessed of a valuable sense of humour, even under adverse circumstances, he has faced difficulties, which would have turned a pre-war sergeant major grey in a week, with unfailing calm.
He has the happiness of knowing before he goes to civil life that the battalion is considered to have reached the best pre-war standards, which was by no means the case when he became R.S.M., a result for which a large measure of credit is due to himself. We hope that the administrative ability he so undoubtedly possess may find a scope in whatever he attempts in civil life.'

Sold together with copied research and several photographs cut from Regimental Journals.

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Sold for
£220

Starting price
£210