In South Shields (Harton) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of:

Second Lieutenant
S.R. Thompson
Northumberland Fusiliers
30th May 1920 age 27

Love’s Tribute

The son of Margaret and the late Mathew Thompson, of South Shields and the husband of Emily Maud Thompson, of 22, Mowbray Road, South Shields.

Derek Johnstone has provided the following:

Sydney Richmond Thompson, the son of Elizabeth / Margaret and Mathew Thompson was born on 25th July 1893 and christened on the 16th August of the same year. Census information appears to indicate in 1901 Sydney was living at Salisbury Place South Shields and by 1911 Sydney was still living in South Shields with his Aunt Jane Lightford working as a Cost Clerk with a coal company.

In 1915 Sydney married Emily Maud Hemmings at South Shields, Durham.

Sydney enlisted when living at 1, Third Street, Netherton. His name appears on ROH 1914-18 Netherton Coal Company at St Cuthbert’s Church in Bedlington so it appears he worked at Netherton Colliery, near Bedlington possibly in a clerical or management position.

Sydney is shown to have died from a complaint contracted while on service. The British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards 1914-1920 show he was in the Northumberland Fusiliers as a Sergeant with the service number 18/514 and then a 2nd Lieutenant.

Records in 1929 show his widow Mrs E. M. Thompson living at 22, Mowbray Road, South Shields, applied for his medals.

Sydney Richmond Thompson is remembered in Bedlington on B15.07 and B15.26 page 110 and in the Battalion History page 134.