Ellis Thompson (1896-1917)
Butcher's son from Newcastle rose to rank of second lieutenant in the 18th DLI
Ellis Thompson, the son of William and Mary Emma Thompson, was born in Newcastle on 10 July 1896. He had two brothers and a sister and in August 1914 enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers. He land in France in April 1915 and was wounded shortly afterwards. He later transferred to the 18th Battalion (The Pals) Durham Light Infantry where he rose to the rank of second lieutenant. He was killed on 18 May 1917 at the Battle of Arras and is commemorated on the Arras and Whitley Bay Memorials, on the Barnard School Roll of Honour, in the Durham Cathedral DLI Book of Remembrance and the family headstone and a stained glass window in Whitley Bay.
North East War Memorials Project, headstone for Ellis Thompson:
http://www.newmp.org.uk/article.php?categoryid=99&articleid=1639&displayorder=38
Civil Parish: Gateshead
Birth date: 10-Jul-1896
Death date: 18-May-1917
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 19 Wentworth Road, Elswick, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1901 census)
North-Eastern County School for Boys, Newgate, Barnard Castle (1911 census)
7 Gordon Square, Whitley Bay (England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995)
Education: North-Eastern County School for Boys, Newgate, Barnard Castle
Family: Father: William Thompson
Mother: Mary Emma Thompson (nee Ellis)
Siblings: William, Ida Elizabeth & Norman Ellis Thompson
Military service:
4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
Regimental no.: 4/1732
Private
'D' Company, 18th Battalion (The Pals) Durham Light Infantry
Regimental no.: 200400
2nd Lieutenant
Medal(s): 1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Memorial(s): Arras Memorial, Bay 8
Barnard School, Barnard Castle 1914-1918 Roll of Honour
Durham Cathedral DLI Book of Remembrance
Family headstone in St Paul’s Churchyard, Whitley Bay
Trinity Methodist Church, Whitley Bay 1914-1918 Stained glass window (This was destroyed by bombing in WW11 but a cartoon is held in St John’s Methodist Church, Ilfracombe Gardens, Monkseaton)
Whitley Bay Links Cenotaph 1914-1918
Gender: Male
Contributed by John Edwards
