The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2780) Private John Thomson, 59th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (2780) Private John Thomson, 59th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

2780 Private John Thomson, 59th Battalion, AIF
KIA 13 May 1917

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private John Thomson.

John Thomson was born in 1882, the only son of John and Mary Ann Thomson of the Melbourne suburb of Surrey Hills. He grew up in Surrey Hills, and went on to work as an officer for the income tax department. In early 1914 Thomson moved to Nhill in rural Victoria after taking on an appointment as clerk of the courts. He excelled in his job, and was known locally as “a very popular and efficient officer” of the court system.

John Thomson enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in May 1916. While in training camp he was temporarily promoted to acting corporal, and left Australia for active service overseas with reinforcements to the 59th Battalion in October 1916. After arriving in England he reverted to the rank of private, and continued training on the Salisbury Plain for about six week.

Private Thomson arrived on the Western Front during the coldest winter seen in Northern France in decades. Shortly after he reached the front, the German Army began a withdrawal which would see it secured behind the Hindenburg Line, a strongly defended trench system that had been carefully prepared earlier. The 59th Battalion took part in the advance which followed up the retreat, and later went into the front line near Bullecourt to defend some of the ground captured during operations in May.

On 13 May 1917 Private Thomson was on ration fatigue, bringing rations up to the front line. As he was making his way through the battlefield, he was hit by a German artillery shell. He was later buried in the Queant Road Cemetery.

John Thomson’s parents both died within three years of his passing, and nobody paid to put an epitaph on his grave. He was by no means forgotten, however, and in 1929, on the twelfth anniversary of his death, his sister Alice visited John’s grave in Buissy. She later wrote that she “found [her] brother’s grave quite easily… and was impressed with the care taken to keep [the war cemeteries] in order.”

John Thomson died a single man aged 35.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private John Thomson, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section