Lance Corporal William Thomson

Lance Corporal William Thomson, 143rd Coy., Machine Gun Corps ( Infantry ). He was killed in France, aged 19, on the 12th November 1916 during the Battle of the Somme and is buried in Warlencourt British Cemetery, Somme, France. He had been born in Selkirk and was the son of Alexander and Jane Thomson of 16 Cannon Street, Selkirk. He joined the Territorial 4th Kings Own Scottish Borderers in March 1913 and when he was discharged he re-enlisted in the Machine Gun Corps in May 1916 and joined his Company in France in July 1916. The M.G.C used the Vickers mK11 water cooled gun in both defensive and offensive roles. The photos show guns in action.