|
May 22, 1884
|
Born in Glasgow, Scotland
James married Lily Brinklow in Edmonton,
Middlesex, England in 1906
|
|
Jun 1, 1912
|
Embarked the SS Teutonic in Liverpool with his
wife and 3 children
|
|
Jun 9, 1912
|
Disembarked in Montreal, Quebec
|
|
Dec 23, 1914
|
Attested into the 21st Battalion in
Kingston, Ontario
Ø Number 59973 (temporary number
1204)
Ø Next of kin given as Mrs. Lily
Thomson, wife, 25 Elgin St., Kingston, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as
Painter
o
Later
noted as Painter-Paperhanger
Ø No previous military
experience given
Ø Religion given as Presbyterian
Ø Posted to the Depot Company
o
Later
posted to “A” Company
The 21st Battalion trained in the Kingston, Ontario
area through the winter of 1914-15.
|
|
May 6, 1915
|
Embarked the RMS Metagama in Montreal, Quebec
|
|
May 15, 1915
|
Disembarked in Devonport, England and the
battalion proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, Kent to continue
training
|
|
Sep 6, 1915
|
Forfeited 1 days pay for being absent
|
|
Sep 14, 1915
|
Embarked the St. Seiriol in Folkestone
|
|
Sep 15, 1915
|
Disembarked in Boulogne, France and the battalion
proceeded to St. Omer
|
|
Sep 26, 1915
|
While in the “C” trench near Messines, Belgium,
the battalion came under an artillery barrage that caused much damage to the
trench. One of the shells exploded
behind Private Thomson and caused severe damage to his head. He was evacuated to a casualty clearing
station for treatment
|
|
Sep 28, 1915
|
Transferred to the No. 14 General Hospital in
Wimereux, France
|
|
Sep 29, 1915
|
Invalided to England aboard a Hospital Ship
On arrival in England, he was admitted to the No.
3 London General Hospital, Wandsworth, London
Transferred to the 39th Reserve
Battalion for pay purposes while in hospital
|
|
Oct 14, 1915
|
Surgery was performed to remove a 1 inch circular
piece of the skull to remove damaged bone.
A flap of skin was stitched over the hole to protect the brain
|
|
Nov 6, 1915
|
Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital
in Bromley
General condition was recorded as good, but
complained of headaches
|
|
Jan 25, 1916
|
Discharged from hospital to Base Details for light duty in West
Sandling
|
|
Jan 28, 1916
|
Embarked the SS Sicilian in Liverpool
|
|
Feb 14, 1916
|
Disembarked in Saint John, New Brunswick and proceeded to Quebec
City, Quebec
|
|
Feb 17, 1916
|
Medical exam in Quebec City notes
Ø Man suffers from shrapnel wounds to head with loss of bone
Ø Suffers from headaches and dizziness
Ø Has a circular depression of about 1 inch on right side of head
where bone was removed
Ø Recommendation of 3 months in a convalescent home for
observation
|
|
Feb 19, 1916
|
Admitted to the Elmhurst Military Hospital in Kingston, Ontario
|
|
Apr 1, 1916
|
Taken On Strength Military District No. 3 Casualty Company in
Kingston for pay purposes while in hospital
|
|
May 10, 1916
|
Medical Board in Kingston recommendation
Ø Owing to unsettled state of man’s nervous system, the injury to
his head and dizziness, he us unfit for military service and he should be
given a $50 gratuity and discharged at once from the service
Ø It was even suggested that his dizziness was a result of
excessive drinking
|
|
May 30, 1916
|
Discharged from the CEF in Kingston, Ontario
Ø Rank on discharge Private
Ø Entitled to War Service Badge
Class “A”
Ø Entitled to War Service Badge
Class “B”
Ø Proposed residence on
discharge 25 Elgin St., Kingston, Ontario
Following the end of the war, the 1914-15 Star,
British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at 266 Wellington St.,
Kingston, Ontario
|
|
|
|
Nov 4, 1956
|
James Thomson died while a patient in the Hotel
Dieu Hospital, Kingston, Ontario
|
|
