Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John Thompson born 1893 at Felling, Gateshead, County Durham, was one of 2 known sons of the late William Thompson and Margaret Ann Armstrong of Felling Gateshead, County Durham. After the death of his father, the family, including his brother William Allan Thompson born at Felling in 1892, moved to Hull.
John enlisted during WW1 and rose to the rank of Private 2nd Class, No.185442, 2nd (N) Aircraft, Repair Depot, Royal Air Force, stationed at Woking in Surrey.
He died November 17th 1918 and at the request of his family was transported to Hull and interred with all military honours within the old ground, Hull Western Cemetery, grave 885. His grave does not have a military headstone and was reported to be, “neglected and overgrown with grass,” in a Graves Registration report of September 29th 1926.
Post war documents list next of kin as Mr. John D. Derbyshire whom his widowed mother had married at Hull in 1919, however, it was his brother William who received part of the money owed to him by the Royal Air Force.
John D. Derbyshire died aged 79 years at Hull in 1948 preceded by the death of William Allan Thompson in 1947 aged 65 years. Details as regards Margaret Derbyshire-Thompson, unknown.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John Thompson is not remembered at Felling or on any local War Memorial.
