LEST WE FORGET
Captain Claude Robert James THOMPSON
From Australian serving in the Royal Air Force
Service No: Not Assigned
Born: Melbourne VIC, 15 January 1892
Enlisted in the Army: 16 March 1916
Unit: No. 63 Training Squadron, Royal Air Force
Died: Aircraft Accident, England, 17 July 1918, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Dartford (Watling Street) Cemetery, Kent
CWGC Additional Information: No additional information
Place of Association: Richmond VIC (location of next of kin on enlistment)
Captain Thompson is listed on the AWM Embarkation Roll.
Captain Thompson is an Australian Air Ace with seven victories. He resigned from the Australian Army and accepted a Commission in the British Army on 21 October 1916.
On 17 July 1918, Captain Thompson flying Sopwith Camel aircraft B7820 was killed in aircraft accident. While diving at ground target by means of a half-stall and bottom rudder, the aircraft entered into a spin at 1,000 feet and Captain Thompson was unable to recover.
References:
Australian War Memorial World War I Embarkation Roll.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record B2455, THOMPSON C R J
National Archives UK RAF Casualty Card 287157, 282249
Bibliography:
Garrisson, A.D.J. (Arthur Dean John) (O350) Australian Fighter Aces 1914-1953, Air Power Studies Centre Fairbairn ACT 2600, 1999