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Signalman Kenneth Thompson
Unit : "K" Section, 6th Airborne Divisional Signals, attached to Headquarters, 5th Parachute Brigade.
Army No. : 14322744
Signalman Kenneth Thompson was a member of the 5th Parachute Brigade's Signals Section. He died of his wounds after a mortar exploded near him on the 23rd July 1944. On the same day, his commanding officer, Captain Guy Radmore, sent the following letter to his parents:
Capt G.T. Radmore
HQ 5 Parachute Brigade
B.L.A.
23 Jul 44
Dear Mr and Mrs Thompson,
I am terribly sorry to have to tell you that your son Kenneth was killed in action this morning. At about 8 o'clock this morning he was just coming back from the cookhouse with his breakfast when a German mortar bomb landed near him. I saw him immediately after this had happened and he was unconscious, our doctor was on the spot at once and he was evacuated immediately to the main dressing station where he passed away from wounds in the chest and internal bleeding. I can assure you that everything possible was done for him but the medical authorities said that chest wounds such as his cannot be treated. His death was a great shock to myself and everyone else in this section especially because your son was one of the best and most cheerful wireless operators in this section. Your loss is our very great loss too and I would like you to know that you have the very deepest sympathies both of myself and everyone in this section. I shall miss him a great deal he is quite irreplaceable always completely reliable and every ready to do unpleasant jobs cheerfully. If every soldier was like your son how easy things would be. He will be buried as soon as I can possibly arrange it in a special cemetery which is being reserved for all those in the 6 Airborne Division who have fallen in this great struggle. I am arranging for a cross to be made from some nice wood on which we will paint his names, number, followed by 5 Parachute Brigade Signal Section killed in action, followed by the name of the place where he was killed and todays date. We shall of course make his grave look as nice as we possibly can. The War Graves Commission will eventually erect a stone cross on the grave and you will be sent a photograph of it but you must expect that to be some time. His effects will be sent off today to you through the normal channels.
L/Cpl Davies who was his pal and in the same wireless detachment as your son will be coming to see you when we get back to England. At least then you will find some satisfaction in the fact that your son died painlessly and will not have died in vain as he has already done a great job of work for us. If there is anything more I can let you know or do please be sure and let me know at once. Once again be sure you have my very deepest and most sincere sympathies in this sad loss of your in which we all share.
Yours very sincerely,
G.T. Radmore
The following note was sent by Major-General Gale on the 19th August 1944:
6 Airborne Division
BLA
19 Aug 44
Dear Mrs Thompson
It is difficult for me to put into words my heartfelt sympathy for you in the loss of your son in action.
To a Commander like myself the loss of such fine young men as he is hard indeed: and yet for you I know how infinitely much worse it must be.
You know, however, that you have our deepest sympathy: & that your brave son gave his life in a great enterprise and for a just cause.
Yours sincerely,
Richard N. Gale
Major General
Radmore sent a further letter on the 8th November 1944:
Capt G.T. Radmore
R Signals
HQ 5 Para Bde
APO England
8 Nov 44
Dear Mr Thompson,
Thank you very much for your letter. I enclose the negative of your sons grave.
I believe the cemetery at Ranville has already been taken over by the War Graves Commission and in any case it soon will be since the ground has been bought and paid for by the 6 Airborne Division and I do know that eventually all men of the 6 Airborne Div who fell in Normandy and France will be moved to the Ranville cemetery which is being reserved solely for the Division.
I should think the War Graves Commission would send you official notification in due course but suggest that you write to them c/o War Office London if at any time you are unable to contact me or have any doubts. You may be sorry to hear that L/Cpl Davies was involved in a grenade accident the other day but fortunately only lost a lot of teeth and we expect him back with us any day now.
Yours very sincerely,
G.T. Radmore
The following article appeared in a newspaper:
Keswick Parents Lose Second Son
Much sympathy is extended to Mr. and Mrs. D.R. Thompson, The Headlands, Keswick, whose second son, Signaller Kenneth Thompson, Royal Corps of Signals (Paratroops), has been killed in action in Normandy. He was 20 years of age, and was educated at Brigham and Keswick Schools. Before joining up, he was engaged as a clerk at the railway station. His eldest brother, Sergt. Pilot Edmund Thompson, was reported missing over Palermo in February 1943, and his youngest brother, Ronnie, is serving in the R.A.F.
Writing to Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, Lance-Corpl. Davies, a comrade in the same Signal section, states: "I am taking this opportunity on behalf of my friends and myself of conveying to you our deepest sympathy in the great loss you have sustained. We are four in number, and are proud of the fact that Ken was our pal. Ken was in every way a great fellow, and he set a fine example to all of us by his cheerful disposition and his unselfish outlook. He was known and liked by everyone, and I am speaking for the whole section when I say that his loss will be felt for a long time."
Regarding the grenade accident mentioned in Captain Radmore's second letter, in which Lance-Corporal Frank Davies was hurt:
Sigmn McCabe 14542887
K Section 5 Para Bde
6 A/D A.P.O. England
Dear Mr Thompson
You are probably rather surprised to have me writing to you instead of Frank but as a matter of fact it is about him that I wish to write.
You see, a couple of days ago, Wednesday to be exact, he was involved in a rather nasty accident. Fortunately he was lucky & came out of it with injuries as follows:- minus four teeth & minute particles of shrapnel in lower jaw.
At the moment he is in the Facia Maxillary hosp. Basingstoke, another couple or so days however & he will probably be out & on the active list again.
The accident itself was of the type that you read about in the papers every day. A course of instruction on grenades. The absence of the instructors for a few secs. Someone fools around with a live bomb. The next everyone knows is one big bang. In this particular effort two men were killed & about another seven or eight injured.
A pretty grim affair altogether & I sincerely hope that life at your end is running in a smoother vein...
The following is a letter from Lance-Corporal Frank Davies to the Thompson family.
2328501
L/C Davies F.
Signal Section
5 Para Bde
A.P.O. England
28 Nov 44
Dear All,
Many thanks for your letter & kind thoughts. Well, as you can see I'm back with the boys again. I didn't leave the hospital on the Tuesday. I caught a mild touch of flu, so they kept me in for a few days longer.
You are right, I was very lucky, but, thank God, none the worse for it. Well, I'm short of a few teeth! but I'm going to get dentures, so I will O.K. then. You'd grin if you could see me, toothless grin & a slight lisp - trust you & go to take the 'mike' out of me.
I only got a 48 hr pass, so I went home to Manchester. Everyone was pleased to see me no worse for it all.
I've seen Capt Radmore about the photograph. When we can get ours done I will let you have the negative without fail.
Thank you very very for your thoughtful offer to pay for the photographs but - you know the boys, they wouldn't hear of it.
Well, I must close now, Mac, Dusty & Dickie send their usual.
Cheerio for now
Yours
Frank