Thomson, Raymond Wood

Lieut. Raymond Wood Thomson was killed leading his men under fire near Caen, France, on July 9, 1944. His Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Col. G. M. Wilkins of the 6th Battalion, North Stafford Regiment, wrote in high tribute: "He was the very best type of young officer who invariably set a very fine example to everybody by his coolness and courage." In his British regiment, he personified the fine relations that existed between the English soldiers and their Canadian volunteer officers on loan to the British Army. Evidence of this was beautifully written by Capt. A. G. F. McDonald, of the Headquarters Staff of the 176th Infantry Brigade. Lieut. Thomson had already served in the Reserve with the 2/10 Dragoons, Hamilton, from the early days of the war, when he enlisted in the active Canadian Army, on August 4, 1941. He did efficient work as a non-commissioned officer instructing at No. 20 C.I.B.T.C., Brantford, until March, 1943, when he entered the Officers' Training Centre at Brockville. Graduating with his commission on September 11, of that same year, he was then transferred to Fredericton, N.B., for service before proceeding overseas in April, 1944, as a volunteer Canadian infantry officer on loan to the British Army. He was born in Brantford, November 14, 1921, the only son of Mr. David Thomson (now deceased) and Mrs. Thomson. Raymond was educated at the Cainsville Public School and the Brantford Collegiate Institute. He was a member of Park Baptist Church, teaching at one time in the Sunday School. He was employed in the office division of the Imperial Oil Limited. Besides his mother, he leaves to mourn, his widow and daughter, Heather Rae, 1 Victoria St.

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