World War II Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Trinity Gask, Scotland, he served as a Flight Sergeant in the 9th Squadron, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force. On January 1, 1945, in an attack on the Dortmund-Ems Canal, Germany, his Lancaster bomber after releasing its bombs, was hit by ground fire and a fire broke out. Flight Sergeant Thompson who was the wireless operator, seeing that the mid-upper gun turret was ablaze, he went at once through the smoke filled fuselage into the fire, to the turret to help the gunner to a place of safety. He extinguished the gunners burning clothing with his bare hands and in doing so sustained serious burns to his legs, hands and face. He then went to the rear turret which was also ablaze and again used his already burnt bare hands to beat out flames on the gunner's clothing. Despite his shocking state of burns and charred clothing, he returned through the burning fuselage to report the condition to the pilot. The aircraft finally crash-landed, with the rear gunner surviving but the mid-upper gunner died. Flight Sergeant Thompson began to recover from his injuries in hospital but died of pneumonia three weeks later. For most prestigious gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross on February 20, 1945.
World War II Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Trinity Gask, Scotland, he served as a Flight Sergeant in the 9th Squadron, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force. On January 1, 1945, in an attack on the Dortmund-Ems Canal, Germany, his Lancaster bomber after releasing its bombs, was hit by ground fire and a fire broke out. Flight Sergeant Thompson who was the wireless operator, seeing that the mid-upper gun turret was ablaze, he went at once through the smoke filled fuselage into the fire, to the turret to help the gunner to a place of safety. He extinguished the gunners burning clothing with his bare hands and in doing so sustained serious burns to his legs, hands and face. He then went to the rear turret which was also ablaze and again used his already burnt bare hands to beat out flames on the gunner's clothing. Despite his shocking state of burns and charred clothing, he returned through the burning fuselage to report the condition to the pilot. The aircraft finally crash-landed, with the rear gunner surviving but the mid-upper gunner died. Flight Sergeant Thompson began to recover from his injuries in hospital but died of pneumonia three weeks later. For most prestigious gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross on February 20, 1945.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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