George Thompson: a Sunderland war horse story

D/DLI 7/700/31 Corporal George Thompson, centre back, and fellow DLI Pioneers on the Marne, France, July 1918 

‘We need to admire these men…’

‘I couldn’t wait to get to the end…’

That was the verdict of some of our project volunteers who have helped to transcribe and check a special First World War memoir that has gone online in its entirety for the first time.  The diary can be found on the Durham at War website: http://www.durhamatwar.org.uk/material/498/

The story of Sergeant George Thompson, the man who loved his horses, was very popular when excerpts were featured on the BBC’s World War One at Home website last year http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01wv1v2

George enlisted as a territorial soldier in 1910 and saw service right through the war and beyond.  He started to record his wartime experiences as a transport driver with the 7th Battalion Durham Light Infantry in November 1928, ten years after the war had ended, and he dedicated his memoir to his daughter Gracie Evelyn Thompson, who was then aged two.

After George’s death Gracie donated his medals and records to the DLI Museum in Durham and the memoir is now preserved in the regimental archive at County Hall.

Download George’s story and be moved by the humanity of this modest man. Thank you to everyone who has helped to bring this story to life in an easy-to-read format on Durham at War.

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