For sale is a set of medals comprising Ashanti Medal (E.VII.R.) with clasp KUMASSI, named CAPTAIN H.J. THOMPSON. W INDIA REGT.; 1914 – 15 Star named MAJOR H.J. THOMPSON R.I.FUS.; British War Medal named MAJOR H. J. THOMPSON. It comes with copies of service records, MIC, medal rolls, newspaper articles and extensive research notes.

Lt Colonel Herbert John Thompson was born on 19/12/1871 in Madras India, his father was employed in the Indian Civil Service at the time. Educated at Bedford School and Royal Military College Sandhurst, he was commissioned on 23/9/1893 Served with the West Indian Regiment for the next 20 years. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 1/1/1895, Captain on 30/12/1899.

He participated on “special assignment” in the Fifth Ashanti War (1900), also known as the War of the Golden Stool being awarded the Ashanti Medal (1900) with clasp Kumassi.

He was seconded for service as Adjutant of the 5th (Ardwick) Volunteer Battalion, Manchester Regiment, a position in which he remained for several years (while also marrying Miss Margaret Tozer in Gloucester in October 1906). In 1907 he was attached to the Depot, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment at Preston.

A special retirement offer was made to to officers in the West India Regiment due to the slow rate of promotion being 200-pound P/A to any Majors or Captains (over 40 years of age) dated 1913. Thompson accepted the offer and retired on 12/11/1913.

On the outbreak of the war, he re-joined on 4/8/1914 and was posted as a Temporary Major to the 6th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers on 9/9/1914 (Substantive Major 1/9/1915).

The 6th Battalion was formed at Armagh in August 1914 as part of K1 and came under command of 31st Brigade in 10th (Irish) Division.

6 /8/1915 the battalion sailed to Suvla Bay, Gallipoli aboard the minesweepers “Snaefell” and “Honeysuckle”. At this time the battalion comprised 778 officers and other ranks.

At 4-35 am on 7 August the “Snaefell” and “Honeysuckle” arrived off Suvla Bay under heavy shrapnel fire. A landing was made at 8-30 am with the battalion going into action in support of the 5th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers and East Yorkshire Regiment at 9 am the same morning. On its first day of action the battalion suffered casualties of 1 officer wounded, 12 other ranks killed, and 76 other ranks wounded or missing.

Overnight the battalion occupied trenches atop Hill 53 and during the following days provided support and reinforcement to other troops attacking Hill 70. During the period 8 to 9 August the battalion suffered further casualties of 5 officers killed, 12 officers wounded or missing, 12 other ranks killed, and 220 other ranks wounded or missing. The battalion was suffering from the environment in which they were serving and existed on the “iron” rations with which they had landed since no supplies were able to get to them.

The Commanding officer Lt Col Greer was wounded on the 9th and Thompson took over command of the battalion until wounded himself on the 16th or 17th.

Having received supplies late on 9 August; the battalion held Hill 53 until relieved by the Essex Regiment on 10 August. The battalion was rested in reserve lines for the next few days. The battalion moved into support trenches on 13 August and the following day received reinforcements of 5 officers and 159 other ranks from the battalion reserve at Mudros. During 15 to 16 August the battalion was engaged in heavy fighting against Turkish Infantry on the Kiretch Tepe Ridge suffering losses of 10 officers and 210 other ranks killed, wounded, or missing including Thompson being wounded. A newspaper article reported him as killed. He was awarded a M.I.D. for commanding the battalion during this period.

By the 1 September the battalion was now recorded as comprising 5 officers and 388 other ranks, as well as losses through enemy action the battalion was increasingly suffering from ill health.

Thompson was medically downgraded because of this and returned to England being attached to the 4th Battalion (Depot) for recruiting duties followed by being attached to the War Office (Mobilization Directorate) October 1917 – October 1919. Promoted to Lt Colonel and reverted to retirement on 11/11/1919. He was recalled for short served with the Deport, Royal Fusiliers from 19/4/1921 – 27/4/1921 Emergency Service.

He died on 22/8/1939 in Montreux, Switzerland.