Sgt. Herbert 'Bert' Thompson

The pictures and information are courtesy of Sgt. Thompson's daughter, Doreen Hopwood.

W/Sgt Herbert “Bert” Thompson - No 6 Commando.
As a member of the Territorial Army in 1939, Bert was mobilised as soon as war was declared and served in the 125th Field Ambulance Unit of the RAMC until he transferred to the HQ Troop of No 6 Commando Unit on 2 August 1940. He had returned from Dunkirk on one of the last ships and was a member of the Dunkirk Veterans Association and the Commando Association. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on the eve of Operation Torch and was wounded twice in January 1943 during the North Africa Campaign. He received severe gunshot wounds to his legs which kept him hospitalised until April 1943. He returned to the UK to train with No 6 Commando for the D-Day Landings, where he landed at Sword Beach and served with Lord Lovat. Bert was promoted to Sergeant on 5 August 1944 and returned with the unit in September 1944. He then transferred back to the RAMC and served in West Africa (Sierra Leone) until December 1945. He joined the Commando Association when it was formed and attended several reunions. Bert died in 1982 – without having told anybody about his war service experiences.