Angus Eric Methven Sinclair-Thomson

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Lieutenant-Colonel Angus Eric Methven Sinclair-Thomson DSO, DL, (24 May 1880 – 23 May 1961) was a British Army officer whose career spanned the Second Boer War and the First World War. Commissioned into the Essex Regiment in 1899, he served in South Africa, where he was wounded at the Battle of Paardeberg. During the First World War, he held a number of staff appointments, including service with the 29th Division during the Gallipoli campaign, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

After retiring from the army he served as secretary of the Essex Territorial Army Association and as Deputy Lieutenant of Essex. His life and career was summarised in a contemporary obituary.[1]

Early life

Sinclair-Thomson was born on 24 May 1880, the son of Dr William Sinclair-Thomson and Jessie Methven Cox, daughter of George Addison Cox. The youngest of four sons (Lister, Hamilton, John Gilroy and Angus), he also had twin sisters born when he was two, Laura Kathleen and Jessie Sheila[2]. He was educated at Epsom College[3] and he later studied in France and Germany.[4]

Military career

Second Boer War

Sinclair-Thomson was commissioned into the 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment from the militia, at age 19, in 1899.[5] He served in the operations around Colesberg in January 1900, at the Relief of Kimberley, and in the Orange Free State.

He fought in the Battle of Paardeberg (17–26 February 1900) where he was wounded on 18 February.[6] He later took part in operations in the Transvaal (30 November 1900 – 31 May 1902) and Cape Colony, receiving the Queen's Medal with five clasps and the King's Medal with two clasps.[2]

His service, along with that of his brother Lister (G. A. L. Sinclair-Thomson. Maj. Suffolk Regiment), is also recorded in The Muster-Roll of Angus, with a portrait of Lieut A E M Thomson, p.144[7] and in the Army List.

After the war ended in June 1902, the 1st Battalion was transferred to Bangalore, as part of the Madras command.[8]

First World War

He was promoted to Captain on 7 May 1909,[9] and served as adjutant of the 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment from 1909 to 1912.[4]

At the outbreak of the First World War he was appointed to the War Office and later joined the 29th Division as Staff Captain and Brigade Major. He served in the Gallipoli campaign,[10] taking part in the landing from the SS River Clyde at Cape Helles on 25 April 1915, and in the later evacuations at Suvla and Helles.[11]

He was twice mentioned in despatches, created a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur, and awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1915.[12][13][4]

Promoted to Major in January 1916,[14] he went on to serve in Egypt and Palestine, before receiving brevet rank in 1917[15][16]. By November 1918 he was serving as a General Staff Officer, 1st Grade (GSO1), at Scottish Command Headquarters in Edinburgh.[2]

From 1920 to 1923 he served as General Staff Officer, 2nd grade (GSO2) on the Inter-Allied Commission of Control in Berlin.

In 1927 he was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel and given command of the 1st Battalion of The Essex Regiment.[17][18][19][12][20]

In 1931, he retired from the Army.[21]

Later career

After retiring from the Army in 1931, he was appointed secretary of the Essex Territorial Army Association[22]. He held this post until 1945, during a period that included rearmament and the Second World War.

Sinclair-Thomson was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for the county in 1932, and from 1933 to 1953 was clerk to the Lieutenancy.[1]

Family life

On 6 July 1912 he married Rachel Catherine Ingram (1883–1961), daughter of Walter Feilde Ingram and Catherine Louisa Helen Sclater. They had three children: Peter Angus, Rachel Catherine and Jessie Eve[1][23][24]

Rachel Sinclair-Thomson died on 16 May 1961, and Angus Sinclair-Thomson died a week later on 23 May 1961.[25]

At the time of their deaths, Angus and Rachel Sinclair-Thomson were living at Windyfield, Molrams Lane, Great Baddow, Essex[26]

They were buried together in the churchyard of St Andrew's Church, Hall Lane, Sandon, Essex CM2 7RQ, near their home. His obituary noted his long service to Essex and his close ties to his local community.[2][27]

Legacy

A contemporary obituary provides a detailed account of Sinclair-Thomson's military service and his subsequent work in Essex, including his long tenure with the Territorial Army Association and the Lieutenancy.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "The Wasp and the Eagle" (PDF). Royal Anglian Regiment. December 1961. pp. 304 (Memorial service), 354–355 (Obituary).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Debrett’s Baronetage. Kelly’s Directories. 1921. pp. 1945–1946 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ↑ "Epsom College Archive Website, 1889-1914 – Page 185. Listed under Thomson". yumpu.com.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Who’s Who. A. & C. Black. 1922. p. 2466 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ↑ Hart’s Annual Army List (PDF). 1905. pp. 303–304.
  6. ↑ The Army List. HMSO. 1915. p. 617 – via Internet Archive.
  7. ↑ The Muster-roll of Angus: South African War, 1899–1902: A Record and a Tribute. Brodie & Salmond. 1903. pp. 144, 221 – via Internet Archive.
  8. ↑ "1st Battalion Essex Regiment at Bangalore, 1902". Essex Regiment Museum.
  9. ↑ "Page 4768, Issue 28262, 22 June 1909, London Gazette". The Gazette.
  10. ↑ Gillam, John Graham (1989). Gallipoli Diary. Strong Oak Press. p. 338.
  11. ↑ Military Operations: Egypt and Palestine. H.M. Stationery Office. 1928. p. 420.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Creagh, Sir O'Moore (1915). The V.C. and D.S.O. Vol. 2. Standard Art Book Co. p. 427.
  13. ↑ "The Edinburgh Gazette, Issue 12871" (PDF). The Gazette. 1915. p. 1711.
  14. ↑ "Supplement 29435". The London Gazette. 11 January 1916. p. 531.
  15. ↑ More, John (1923). With Allenby’s Crusaders. Hutchinson. pp. 175, 179, 181, 199 – via Internet Archive.
  16. ↑ Monthly Army List. HMSO. 1918. p. 87 – via National Library of Scotland.
  17. ↑ Essex Units in the War 1914–1919: The Essex Militia. Vol. 4. p. xvii.
  18. ↑ Martin, T. A. (1951). The Essex Regiment 1929–1950. Essex Regiment Museum. pp. 3, 18.
  19. ↑ "Medal card of A. E. M. Sinclair-Thomson". The National Archives.
  20. ↑ "The London Gazette, Page 2499, Publication date: 12 March 1915. Issue: 29098".
  21. ↑ "Page 8067, Issue 33780, 15 December 1931, London Gazette". The Gazette.
  22. ↑ Who’s Who. A. & C. Black. 1938. p. 3100 – via Internet Archive.
  23. ↑ "Recollections of Walter Feilde Ingram of Ades in Chailey (1851-1925)". 19 December 1925 – via National Archive of the UK.
  24. ↑ Who’s Who. A. & C. Black. 1928. p. 2749 – via Internet Archive.
  25. ↑ "Catalogue entry T/Z 151/144". Essex Record Office.
  26. ↑ "Notice relating to Sinclair-Thomson, Angus Eric Methven, D.S.O." The London Gazette (42384): 4421. 13 June 1961.
  27. ↑ "Burial plan, St Andrew's Churchyard, Sandon" (PDF). p. 2.

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