Private Robert Thomson
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- WX1102
- Unit
- 2/11 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Tocra, Libya
- Date of death
- 11 February 1941
- Age
- 25
- Plaque number
- L170A
- Co-located plaques
- L170 - LCPL Lewis Gray
- Dedicated by
- Daughter on 19 February 2011
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Private Robert Thomson of 2/11 Battalion, the son of Robert and Margaret Thomson, was born in Glasgow Scotland in May 1915 and he had two brothers and two sisters.
Robert's father (Robert senior) served as a warrant officer in the Argyle and Southern Highlanders and was awarded the Military Medal in World War 1.
In 1927, when Robert was twelve, the family emigrated to Western Australia. He attended Newlands school in Glasgow and then Perth Boys and his favourite sport was swimming.
After leaving school he worked at Pascomi Company in the gold mining industry in Norseman.
In June 1934 he married Winifred and they had one daughter, Margaret, and the family lived in Vincent Street, Leederville.
He enlisted at Subiaco in December 1939 and was posted to 2/11 Battalion which was the first Western Australian Battalion raised for service overseas during World War 2.
After training at Northam and Greta in New South Wales, they embarked at Fremantle in April 1940 and arrived in the Middle East in May.
Before the ship left he threw a threepenny piece down to the wharf. It was found by his wife and she had it mounted as a brooch. Margaret wore it at her debut, her wedding and is proudly wearing it at today [sic].
The battalion went into action at Bardia in January 1941, fought at Tobruk and then secured Derna airfield. They were advancing to Benghazi when the Italians surrendered in February.
Private Robert Thomson, service number WX1102, of 2/11 Battalion was killed in action at Tocra in Libya on 11 February 1941. He was 25.