major general sir october september highly decorated senior british_army officer served distinction second boer war divisional commander world war battle shot sniper line assault division german positions died day casualty clearing station wounds lungs grave nearby active vigorous soldier wounded months death accidental grenade shortly wound king george service command division field marshal sir commented death distinguished capable leader death severely felt keen military historian collected papers currently stored hart centre military archives king college london early career born october william civil servant sarah daughter industrialist thompson elder brother john born young age sent england education attended commissioned east lancashire regiment junior officer employed home service years whilst serving regimental adjutant captain attending staff college transferred unit india india saw action regiment attached force sent indian border relieve trapped british force years later major action advisor egyptian unit anglo egyptian army travelled final campaign war operations participated battle force fought culminating battle south african service following year regiment engaged africa transported south_africa serve second boer war performed duties distinction years heavily engaged defeat participating relief remained south_africa engaged operations boer forces armistice commanding flying column cape colony promoted substantive major december following war conclusion promoted awarded return home awarded queen south africa medal recognition long service colony twice mentioned despatches staff career experienced staff officer given post professor promoted colonel december transferred india commandant substantive colonel suggested initiated jealous colleagues college ability teacher retained position teaching lessons russo japanese war importance attacking dash best means overcoming entrenched positions came contact numerous important figures world war work including admired spirit self sacrifice duty instead idea playing safety seeking avoid getting trouble amassed collection military literature research teaching promoted temporary brigadier general married mary son work staff college recognised award companion order bath brief period half pay permanent rank colonel transferred india ireland commanded 13th returned ireland briefly year later aftermath incident support friend early briefly emergency summer promoted substantive posted regular 7th division sent western world war opening months war organising new division placed command work involved task meant division ready action october october 7th division arrived german forces began push area race sea initially forced division covered belgian withdrawal held line near town months 7th division embroiled bitter fighting battle crucial stopping german advance lost men times later stated night night sheer force personality shattered fragments battalions fighting line tomorrow service men provided battle awarded knight commander order michael early remaining lines winter men held german advance given respite early arrival territorial divisions rest periods seriously wounded april struck shoulder jam tin bomb demonstration improvised grenades held lines temporarily replaced general returned england 7th division july late september division assigned participate fortified german positions advancing september furious german opposition 7th division held times visited view enemy captured trenches urging men final assault stayed view field struck sniper bullet fired houses line advance thought abandoned assault failed discovered retreating units taken number casualty clearing station rear british lines bullet penetrated lungs doctors gave hope survival major general sir died following day september casualty clearing station division lost men killed wounded days fighting following death killed charging german lines horseback story persisted despite eye witness accounts contrary buried british lines grave commonwealth war graves commission commemorated war memorial essex spent uncle rector collected papers donated available researchers contain wide selection primary materials concerning warfare early twentieth century
Thompson Capper