Sergeant Basil E Thompson

Basil Esmond Thompson was the son of George and Harriet Thompson, of Swaffham, Norfolk. He enlisted in the Royal Norfolk Regiment, and volunteered for airborne forces.

Sergeant Thompson successfully completed his parachute training at RAF Ringway on course number 21/22 from 4 to 16 August 1942, and was posted to B Company, 6 Platoon, 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment. He then took part in Operation Market Garden (Arnhem).

Sgt Thompson was in the area of the Arnhem Rhine Bridge. He was wounded in the head on 18 September 1944, and wounded again two days later while crossing the street from the houses on Marktstraat, moving towards houses on Eusebiusbinnensingel. He died of his wounds in the Municipal Hospital at Arnhem on 25 September 1944, aged 24, and was buried in the grounds of the hospital. (Roll of Honour, 5th revised edition, 2011) He was re-interred to Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery on 24 August 1945.

If you are part of Sgt Thompson’s family and would like to complete this biography, you can apply to the Curator to do so. To do this you will need to become a member of ParaData and select the 'friend or family member' option on the registration form.

If you would like to find out more about becoming a member please visit our registration page.

Members of ParaData can submit their material by clicking on the 'Add content to this article' button on the right.