Corporal Alexander Thomson

Corporal Alexander Raeburn Greig Thomson, 8th Battalion, Royal Scots. He was killed in action in France, aged 26, on the 16th July 1944 during the Battle for Normandy. He had been born in Bathgate and was the son of William and Elizabeth of 21 Engine Place, Bathgate and the husband of Joan Thomson of Cockburnspath. He had been employed as a tailors cutter in Edinburgh when he enlisted in January 1940. The Battalion landed in France in June 1944 and he fell in the fighting to capture the city of Caen. He is buried in Banneville-La-Campagne War Cemetery, Normandy, France where his Headstone is inscribed ” Christ The Lord Shall Guard Them Well He Who Died For Their Release”. He fell in the capture of the villages of Gavrus and Bougy. This was completed by 10.15 a.m. but for the rest of the day the Battalion was subjected to constant mortar fire and German counter attacks. By late afternoon the position on the South of the River Odon had been consolidated and the enemy driven back. ( Since landing in France the Battalion had suffered casualties of 57 killed and 324 wounded ). The photos show Scottish troops in Normandy.