Brigadier Sydney Thomson RIP

Kyt · Jan 9, 2009

Brigadier Sydney Thomson: Infantry commander in the Battle of Ortona | Times Online Obituary

Sydney Thomson commanded the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada in the 1st Canadian Corps of the Eighth Army during the Battle of Ortona and the breaking of the Hitler and Gothic Lines. Respected for his military judgement and popular for the care of his soldiers, he was relieved of his command in controversial circumstances but went on to command another Canadian battalion and finally a brigade in the North-West Europe campaign.

He was awarded the Military Cross for his cool and skilful leadership, an inspiration to his men, when leading a company of the Canadian Seaforths under intense fire up the slopes of Hill 1007 near Foiana di Val Fortore, south of Campobasso, on October 6, 1943.

Two months later, he was appointed to command of his battalion during the heavy fighting at San Leonardo following the crossing of the Moro River. The Seaforths fought for ten days against the 3rd Regiment of the German 1st Parachute Division in the advance to Ortona, the eastern cornerstone of the enemy’s Gustav Line.

The world press characterised the battle of Ortona as Little Stalingrad because of the street-fighting tactics used. The Seaforths and the Loyal Edmonton Regiment of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade advanced street by street, blowing their way through adjoining houses in a technique known as mouse-holing. An anti-tank grenade was used to blow a hole in the wall of the upper floor of an immediately adjoining building. Hand grenades were then lobbed through the gap, followed by machine gun fire to clear the building.

Christmas 1943 was celebrated by the Seaforths at Ortona with dinner served at the battalion’s tactical headquarters in the Church of Santa Maria di Constantinopoli, 400 four yards from the forward positions. Later, Thomson wrote “The look on the faces of those exhausted men on entering the church is with me today and will live forever.” He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his outstanding leadership at Ortona. He had remained with the forward troops, who went without sleep for days, directing and encouraging them, while constantly exposed to sniper, machine gun and mortar fire.

It was during the fighting to break through the Hitler Line, the western extension of the Gothic Line, in the Liri Valley south of Rome in May 1944 that relations began to sour between Thomson and the newly-appointed Brigadier Graeme Gibson, commanding the 2nd Canadian Brigade. The formation had suffered their heaviest losses of the campaign in the fighting to break through this last major defensive line before Rome. Thomson later recalled, “The battalion commanders had no part in the planning of the attack and there was no protection on our flanks.”

Following the advance to and surprise smashing of the initial defences of the German Gothic Line, immediately north of Florence, by the 1st Canadian Corps in late August-early September, 1944, the Canadian Seaforths found themselves at San Martino Montelabbate, west of Rimini, trying to dislodge 70 German parachute troops in a bunker with 4ft-thick concrete walls, which held up the advance for three days.

With San Martino cleared, the 1st Canadian Division began the battle for San Fortunato (Covignano) Ridge. The Seaforths under Thomson were successful in capturing the eastern end of the ridge and the town of Le Grazie, immediately west of Rimini and the last of the high ground before the Romagna Plain, thus forcing the German withdrawal from Rimini.

Thomson became involved in a controversy during this battle. He had set up his tactical headquarters at the Palazzo des Vergers, a large villa owned by the Rupoli family who were perceived to be fascists because the Germans had left the artwork and furnishings intact. This led to a spree of looting by the Seaforths not, as was believed for some years, by the Greek Mountain Brigade, who had for political reasons been given the honour of being the liberators of Rimini.

Earlier, during the battle for San Martino, Thomson had refused to leave his men and report back to Brigadier Gibson to discuss a request for four tanks from the supporting regiment of the Royal Armoured Corps. This resulted in Thomson’s being relieved of his command on October 4, 1944. Gibson was also subsequently relieved of his command and both men were reassigned to the 2nd Canadian Corps in North-West Europe. Thomson commanded the Black Watch of Canada from April 1945 and the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Germany in the final days of the war in Europe.

Sydney Wilford Thomson was born in Salmon Arm, Shuswap Lake, British Columbia, a stop on the Canadian Pacific Railway, where his father was mayor for many years. Following the war, he worked for Hiram Walker & Sons where he was European sales manager, 1964-77. He was a Freeman of the City and also represented the Royal Canadian Legion on the British Commonwealth Ex-Services League.

His wife Catriona, née Martin-Bromley, a war bride from Sussex, predeceased him. He is survived by three daughters.

Brigadier Sydney Thomson, DSO, MC, Canadian infantry commander, was born on November 14, 1914. He died on November 8, 2008, aged 93
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liverpool annie · Jan 9, 2009

Kyt said: ↑

Brigadier Sydney Thomson: Infantry commander in the Battle of Ortona | Times Online Obituary
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This is a nice piece about him also .... I love the picture ... what a cheeky smile !!

Tom Hawthorn's blog: Syd Thomson, soldier (1914-2008)

Antipodean Andy · Jan 10, 2009

Certainly saw some hard fighting. Must have eyes in the back of his head. RIP.

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