Sergeant Robert W Thompson

Robert William Thompson, son of Herbert Edward Thompson and Daisy Bessie Louise Thompson (nee Faro) and husband of Vera Marie Thompson (nee Gush), of Wembley Park, Middlesex, enlisted into the Royal Engineers.

In 1943, Sergeant Thompson volunteered for The Parachute Regiment and completed parachute training course 57, which ran from 1 to 11 August 1943 at Kabrit, Egypt.

Serving with 11th Parachute Battalion, Mortar Pln, S Coy, he jumped on the Island of Cos and seized the airfield as a prelude to the later occupation of Rhodes.

Sgt Thompson jumped under fire with the second lift at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden on 18 September 1944. He was killed in action the next day by a German machine gun whilst attempting to help his wounded friend Lance Sergeant Bowers who also died.

Sgt Thompson died aged 34 on 19 September 1944 and had a field burial before being finally laid to rest at Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery.