THOMSON, Ninian Alan (1893-1952)
Ninian Alan Thomson was born on 24 July 1893, the son of Mr and Mrs Ninian Miller Thomson, and was enrolled as a boarder at Geelong College in 1906, departing in 1909. His address at enrolment was 46 York St Sydney. After leaving College, he jackerooed on the Australian Estates property 'Brookon'.
During World War I, he enlisted (No 8676) at Bishops Stortford on 3 May 1915, and first served with the South Wales Borderers (24th Foot) which had re-organised as the county regiment of Brecknockshire, Cardiganshire, Monmouthshire, Montgomeryshire and Radnor, encompassing also its Militia and Volunteer infantry.
He then transferred to 1st King Edward’s Horse, and was commissioned on 20 July 1915:
'Recruiting, during the final weeks of mobilization for France, was also very good. A number of young Australians, who for reasons of their own, did not wish to compete in the political influences pervading their own contingents, had taken passage for the Mother Country, and on arrival came straight to King Edward’s Horse. Quite a number of these were subsequently commissioned in the regiment (these included Lieutenants F L Ham, N A Thomson, W B McCulloch MC, L P Moffatt MC, A J McIntosh, E M Murray, R W Hope).'
He served throughout the campaigns, at the Battles of Passchendaele and the Lys, on the Italian Front and at Vielle Chapelle, and was promoted to second-in-command of B Squadron:
'By these changes, Lt N A Thomson became the second-in-command of the B Squadron. He had for eighteen months done good service as signalling officer at regimental headquarters, interchanging at times these duties with those of assistant adjutant. He was a very versatile and engaging young officer and the regiment owed much to him and his business capacity in the matter of the canteen. The troubles of the B Squadron as it was concerned with its command did not cease for by a cruel stroke of fortune Major MacDonald fell ill with dysentery about the middle of October a few days before the general retreat of the Boche armies in the north of France. The squadron was therefore during this period commanded by Lt Thomson; but as the four troops were detached from the unit command on September 27th and allocated to the 15th, 16th and 55th Divisions respectively, the young officiating squadron leader did not have the onus of commanding the squadron during operations.'
He was Liaison Officer of the day with XIth Corps General Staff in April 1918 (Lys), and Signalling Officer at Regimental HQ, as well as Assistant Adjutant. On 9 August 1918 he married in England to Janet Ievers Hannay known as Jetta Tivey - having taken the name of her step-father, General Edwin Tivey.
Ninian Alan Thomson died on 30 March 1952, aged 58. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported his death: 'Mr Ninian Alan Thomson, a former director of Mauri Bros and Thomson, cork and general merchants, was cremated in Sydney yesterday. He died of a heart attack following a prolonged illness, at the age of 58. Mr Thomson served in
World War I as an officer in King Edward's Horse, and on his return settled on the land near Queanbeyan. After the death of his father in 1918, he succeeded him as chairman of directors of Mauri Bros and Thomson but retired after a serious stroke in 1942. Many friends and business
acquaintances attended a service for him in St Stephen's Church, Macquarie Street, yesterday.'
Sources: Sydney Morning Herald 2 April 1952 p2; Pegasus June 1952 p 44; Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. p 250, p 327 (citing The Pegasus; National Archives).