Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Zonnebeke Operations’ 1917 M.M. group of three awarded to Private J. Thomson, 14th Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force

Military Medal, G.V.R. (7094 Pte. J. Thomson. 14/Aust: Inf:); British War and Victory Medals (7094 Pte. J. Thomson. 14 Bn. A.I.F.) generally good very fine or better (3) £600-800

M.M. London Gazette 17 December 1917. The original recommendation states:

‘During the recent operations near Zonnebeke on 26th September 1917 Pte. Thomson carried back wounded from the front line often under heavy shell and machine gun fire. He was consistently going during the period of the operation although almost overcome with fatigue he stuck to his duty until all wounded were evacuated.’

J. Thomson was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1890. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Broadmeadows, Victoria, 17 October 1916, and was posted to the 14th Australian Infantry Battalion. He travelled to the UK, and served with the Battalion as part of the 4th Australian Brigade, 4th Australian Division in the French theatre of war from May 1917.

Thomson served with the 14th Battalion in the Ypres sector, and was awarded his M.M. for gallantry in operations near Zonnebeke, 26 September 1917. The battalion’s War Diary gives full details of the attack on the latter date, which commenced at 5.50 am when the British barrage came down 130 yards in front of the forming up point. By 9.10 am most objectives had been taken, with the battalion suffering one officer and 22 other ranks killed, and 2 officers and 98 men wounded.

Suffering from Trench Fever, Thomson was hospitalised in November 1918. He returned to Australia in H.T. Frankfurt, and was discharged 27 September 1919.