The second son of Mr. D. Templeton, Tranent, was born in 1889, and entered G.W.C. from Tranent Public School in 1903. The holder of a Schaw Technical Bursary, he passed to George Heriot's School in 1904, and, after three sessions there, became a student at Edin. Univ. He graduated M.A. with Hons. in English, and after training in the Edin. Provincial Training College was appointed, in 1912, an English master in Irvine Royal Academy. Capt. of the O.T.C. there, he was gazetted Lt. in the R.S.F. in Oct. 1914, and gained his Captaincy in June 1915. Proceeding to the East, he served in Egypt in 1916, and in the following year was twice wounded at Gaza (Apr. and Nov. 1917). Transferred to France during the German Offensive in 1918, he fell in action near Cambrai, Oct. 1, 1918. He published during the war a volume entitled Songs of the Ayrshire Regiment.
A son of Mr. R. Thallon, Edin., was born in 1886, and educated at G.W.C. 1896-1901. He served his apprenticeship with a firm of meter makers, and was afterwards engaged in the brewing trade. Enlisting in the A. and S. H. in Nov. 1915, he went to the front in July 1916 and was transferred to the Seaforth Hrs. After much hard fighting he was wounded near Arras in 1917 and invalided home. He returned to France in Feb. 1918, was wounded, and died as a result of his injuries, at Bristol on May 3. At one time a member of the Q.E.R.V.B. Cyclist Corps, he gained prizes for efficiency in scouting and shooting.
Was born in 1884, and attended G.W.C. 1893-98. On leaving he served in the office of the City Chamberlain 1900-14. He then transferred to a salesman's office, where he remained till 1916, when he joined the R.N. He saw service on a battleship and later on a torpedo boat, where he was a gunner. His vessel, H.M.S. Tornado, went down in a mine disaster in the North Sea and he perished with it, Dec. 1917.
The eldest son of Mr. G. Thomson, Edin., was born in 1889, and attended G.W.C. 1894-1905. On leaving he became an apprentice engineer with Messrs. Bertram, Ltd., and moved to Glasgow. In Sept. 1914 he joined the 5th Dragoon Guards and was gazetted to the Seaforth Hrs. in Apr. 1915. In Jan. 1916 he joined the Seaforth Hrs. in Mesopotamia, and fell leading his men in the last struggle for Kut, Apr. 22, 1916. He was a powerful swimmer and wrestler, and a lover of music.
Alastair D. Thomson, Lieutenant, The Mahratta Light Infantry, was the second son of the late Rev. J. K. and Mrs. Thomson, 18 West Mayfield, Edinburgh. Born on 15th October 1922, he came to Watson's from Aberdeen Grammar School and left in 1939 to enter St. Andrews University with a Harkness Scholarship. After graduating M.A., he obtained a commission in the Indian Army and was sent to Italy with the Mahratta Light Infantry. There he was on the staff of his kinsman, Major General Reid, and was killed in action on 6th August 1944.
The youngest son of the late W. Thomson, Edin., was born in 1874, and entered G.W.C. in 1881. In 1890 he entered the office of a firm of stockbrokers in Edin., where he remained for eleven years. In 1902 he went to New York and for twelve years was with Messrs. S. H. P. Pell and Coy., bankers. On his return to this country in 1916 he worked on munitions, and in 1917 received a commission in the Army Printing and Stationery Service, Boulogne, where his health broke down. He died in hospital in London, Mar. 24,1919.
George S. A. Thomson, Sergeant, Royal Air Force, son of Dr. and Mrs. R. H. Thomson, The Lindens, Uphall, West Lothian, was born on 26th October 1920 and entered Watson's from Uphall Public School in 1931. He left in 1937 and had commenced his medical studies before war broke out. Joining the R.A.F., he had risen to the rank of sergeant when he was killed in a flying accident at Gibraltar on 6th October 1942.
The elder son of Mr. R. J. Thomson, Edin., was born in 1890, and attended G.W.C. 1898-1905, where he was a member of the O.T.C., 1903-5. He joined the Artists' Rifles in 1915 and obtained a commission in the R.S. in 1917. He went to France and after much hard fighting was killed in action Mar. 22, 1918. He was a keen athlete, fond of fishing, golf, tennis and rowing.
A son of the Rev. R. Thomson, was born in 1892, and attended G.W.C. 1906-10. Thereafter he studied both Arts and science at Edin. Univ., graduating M.A. (Hons. Maths.), B.Sc. in 1914. He was gazetted 2/Lt. in the R.G.A. from the Artillery unit of the E.U.O.T.C. in 1916, and was attached to the 3rd Field Surveying Coy. (Sound Ranging) in France. He died of pneumonia Feb. 2, 1919.
The youngest son of the late J. Thomson, was born in 1895, and entered G.W.C. in 1905. He proceeded to Edin. Academy and thence to Oxford, having gained a scholarship in Corpus Christi. He offered himself four times when war broke out, but was rejected. In 1915 he did work for the wounded and missing, and in 1917 was passed fit for service. He went to France with the 1st Wilts Regt. and was promoted Cpl. In 1918 he returned badly wounded, fell a victim to influenza, and died Nov. 29.
