The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2035) Private Bert Arthur Thompson, 2nd 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 Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (2035) Private Bert Arthur Thompson, 2nd Battalion, AIF, First World War.

2035 Private Bert Arthur Thompson, 2nd Battalion
KIA 6–9 August 1915


Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Bert Arthur Thompson.

Born Bertie Arthur Thompson in 1890, Bert Thompson was the fourth of six children born to John and Sarah Thompson. Known as “Mickie”, he attended school at Croydon and went on to work as a brickmaker at the Croydon Brickworks.

Mick Thompson enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in January 1915. He underwent a period of training in Australia before leaving for active service overseas on board the troopship Hororata in April. Posted to reinforcements to the 2nd Battalion, after a short period training in the Egyptian desert, he joined his battalion on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 22 June 1915.

Six weeks after arriving on Gallipoli, Private Thompson began preparing for an attack. Bayonets were sharpened by the armourer, and the men sewed white bands on each sleeve and a white patch in the centre of their back so that during the fight they could identify each other.

At 5.30 pm on 6 August 1915 three short whistle blasts were repeated along the line – the signal for the infantry to launch the attack on Lone Pine. The men leapt out of their trenches and ran towards Turkish positions under fire. Sections of the Turkish trenches had been roofed over by pine logs, and in some cases they had to break through the roof in order to come to grips with the enemy. Although the main Turkish trench was captured within 20 minutes, fierce hand to hand fighting continued for days in cramped, dusty, bloody and partially covered trenches.

In one of the few successes of the Gallipoli campaign, Lone Pine was successfully captured and held by the Australians. However, the cost of the operation was some 2,000 Australian casualties. It took some time to reorganise the attacking battalions, and uncovering the fate of some took even longer.

Private Bert Thompson was reported missing in action on 14 August 1915. Military authorities conducted an investigation into his fate, eventually determining that he had been killed in action at some point between 6 and 9 August 1915. Bert’s family had already been unofficially informed that he had been killed at Lone Pine by a family friend serving on Gallipoli.

Bert Thompson’s family and close friends put notices in the newspaper in his memory. His parents wrote, “dearly beloved son of Mr and Mrs J Thompson … he has fought the good fight.”

Today Private Bert Thompson is commemorated on a special memorial in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac Cove. His headstone reads “in loving memory of our dear son and brother from his mother.” He was 25 years old.

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 Bert Arthur Thompson, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section