Born on 2 December 1877, William Thomson was the fourth son of Captain William Thomson of the
78th Highlanders and Alice Broughton. His older brother was
Henry Broughton Thomson;
Gwyneth Bebb married another brother, Thomas Weldon Thomson. He was educated at
Bedford School. In 1897 he joined the
Seaforth Highlanders. He served in
Sudan in 1898. During the
First World War he commanded the 1st
Seaforth Highlanders in
France and
Mesopotamia between 1915 and 1916,
35th Indian Brigade between 1916 and 1917, and
14th Indian Division between 1917 and 1918. Between September 1918 and May 1919 he commanded the
North Persia Force and then British forces in the
South Caucasus. Thomson arrived in
Baku the next day with about 2,000 soldiers of the
British Indian Army and a detachment of Russian troops commanded by
Nikolai Baratov. This was greeted with enthusiasm by the
Russians of Baku. One of Thomson's first actions was to order the removal of the flag of the ADR. He also spoke in praise of
Russia, declaring "The Allies cannot return home without restoring order in Russia and placing her in a position to again take her proper place among the nations of the world." Thomson went on to become commander of the 154th Infantry Brigade in April 1920, General Officer Commanding the Presidency and Assam District in November 1924 and General Officer Commanding the
51st (Highland) Division in June 1925. Thomson, promoted in June 1931 to lieutenant general, retired from the
British Army in 1934. He was given the Colonelcy of the
Seaforth Highlanders in 1939, holding the position until 1947. He died on 23 July 1963. He is buried in
Kinloss Abbey but is also memorialised on a family stone within the eastern enclosure at
St Machar's Cathedral. ==References==