At Mailly-Maillet Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France, is the Commonwealth War Grave of 44135 Lance Corporal Michael Thompson serving with the 7th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment attached 51st Trench Mortar Battery who died 03/06/1918.
The husband of Mrs. E. Thompson, of I, Denmark Street, Washington Station, Co. Durham.
In Washington Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:-
In loving memory of
William
the dearly beloved husband of
Jane Thompson
died 28th March 1926 aged 59 years
Also jane dear wife of the above
died 21st Nov. 1947 aged ?? years
Also Michael son of the above killed in France June 3rd 1918
aged 28 years
Michael Thompson was born on the 28th December 1890, at Hetton le Hole, one of nine children to William Thompson, born 9th December 1868, died 28th March 1926, and his wife Jane nee Cook, Thompson, born 26th July 1867, at Caroline Street, Hetton le Hole, died 21st November 1947. [Jane was the only daughter of six children to a John Cook and his wife Ann nee Johnson, Cook from Hetton le Hole]. Two of the children died. They were married in 1887 at St Michaels Church Houghton le Spring. The other children were John Thomas Thompson, born 15th September 1887, died 1952, Isabella Thompson born 4th December 1888, Anne Thompson, born 11th August 1894, William Thompson, born 26th December 1897, Frank Thompson, born 4th January 1905 died 4th November 1975 and Jenny Thompson, born 1st December 1907, died 1971.
The family moved to Washington affer 1902, to 2 Nelson Street, Washington Station, Co Durham, prior to this they were at William Street, Hetton le Hole.
Michael Thompson was a Hewer. He married Ellen nee McMahon, born 3rd February 1890, Washington, on the 25th February 1911. They had three children, Nora born 17th January 1912 and William born 5th February 1913 and Ellen born 8th January 1915. They were residing at 28 Bell Street, Washington at their Uncle’s residence just a month after getting married. By 1939 the widowed Ellen was residing at 1 Denmark Street, with the three children. William was a Radio Driller, and Nora worked as a Labourer as a Fibre Insulater at Cape Insulating and Ellen a general Labourer, she married a Carr.
Michael enlisted in October 1914 at Washington into the 6th {Service}, Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, given the service number 14492 and the rank of private. He was at Gallipoli and Aegean Islands from the 27th October 1915 in the 6th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers). Formed at Beverley on the 27th August 1914, then moved to Grantham. Came under orders of 32nd Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division. December 1914, it became the Pioneer Battalion to the Division. 1st July 1915, sailed from Avonmouth for Gallipoli via Mudros and landed at Suvla Bay on the 7th August 1915. On the 10th July 1916 it landed at Marseilles, and the Division engaged in various actions on the Western Front.
Michael was transferred into the 7th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, where he was attached to the 51st Trench Mortar Battery. Michael was killed on the 3rd June 1918.
In 1939, Jane, Michael’s mother, was residing at 32 Glen Terrace, Washington, Co Durham, with her son William, an Electrical Engineer, and her daughter Jenny, who was a cleaner at the Miners Welfare, (she eventually married a Scorer). Frank Thompson was a Police Constable married in 1929 to Bessie Gilchrist Howe nee Lowery, Thompson, born Great Lumley, 6th May 1906, died 1963, and they resided at the Police House with their son Frank Thompson in 1939.
Michael Thompson is remembered at Washington on W96.01, W96.09 and W96.19.
