The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2990A) Private Alexander Vivian Thompson, 18th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Gerard Pratt, the story for this day was on (2990A) Private Alexander Vivian Thompson, 18th Battalion, AIF, First World War.

2990a Private Alexander Vivian Thompson, 18th Battalion, aIF
KIA 20 September 1917

Story delivered 31 August 2017

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Alexander Thompson.

Popularly known as “Jack”, Alexander Vivian Thompson was born in 1896, the eldest son of Mary and Alick Thompson of Wombat, New South Wales. He grew up in Young and attended the local public school before working as a labourer in the district.

Thompson enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in June 1916. He underwent a period of training in Australia before being sent for active service overseas the following October with reinforcements to the 55th Battalion. Private Thompson was first sent to England where he continued his training, and arrived in France to fight on the Western Front in early March 1917.

On his arrival to France, Private Thompson was transferred to the 18th Battalion. Within weeks the battalion was involved in the Second Battle of Bullecourt, during which Thompson was shot in the neck. The wound was not considered serious, although Thompson had to be sent to hospital in England and took several weeks to recover.

Thompson returned to his battalion in France in August 1917. A month later his battalion participated in the Battle of Menin Road. The attack began at 5.40 am on 20 September 1917. After the 20th Battalion advanced to capture the first objective, the 18th Battalion pushed through their position to take the second objective. They then began digging in, consolidating their position as the 17th Battalion pushed through to take the final objective.

As the men were digging in, Private Thompson was hit and he died instantly. Thompson’s parents received a letter from chaplain Higgins which said “he was one of the company bombers, and was an excellent soldier, whose loss will be felt by all who knew him. He was buried where he fell, and we have arranged to erect a cross to his memory.”

Alexander Thompson’s battlefield grave was lost in later fighting, and today he is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing. He was 20 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Alexander Vivian Thompson, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section