More about Peter Walls Thomson

M.A. (St Andrews), B, Litt (Oxon)

Peter Walls Thomson   Royal Garrison Artillery.

DUNDEE OFFICER KILLED IN ACTION.

A BRILLIANT ACADEMIC CAREER.

By the death in action of Second-Lieutenant Peter Walls Thomson, of the Royal Garrison Artillery, Dundee has lost a young townsman whose career in the field of English literature promised to be one of extreme brilliance.

Official intimation was received yesterday from the War Office that Lieutenant Thomson had been killed in action.  Twenty-four years of age, Lieutenant Thomson was the second son of Mr David H. Thomson, caseroom overseer in the “Courier” Office, who resides at No. 210 Strathmartine Road.  He received his preliminary education at Dundee High School, and afterwards proceeded to St Andrews University, where at a comparatively early age he graduated M.A., with first-class honours in English.  From St Andrews he went to New College, Oxford, where he rapidly came to the front in literary circles.  He twice gained Carnegie Research Scholarships, and latterly a fellowship, and in June, 1915, at New College he graduated B.Litt.

Lecturer at Oxford.

Lieutenant Thomson’s marked ability in the subject in which he was specialising attracted the attention of the Oxford authorities, including Professor Raleigh, Professor Craigie, Professor Gregory Smith, and Professor Moffatt, and he had been marked out for the continuance of the Oxford extension scheme lectures after the war.  When hostilities broke out Lieutenant Thomson was one of the lecturers in Oxford Union during the summer session.  Both at St Andrews and Oxford he evinced a keen interest in the Officers’ Training Corps, and when he obtained his commission in the Royal Garrison Artillery he gave proof of his many sided ability by the proficiency he quickly attained in military subjects.

On the athletic field at Oxford, as well as in Scotland, Lieutenant Thomson had also distinguished himself.  When at St Andrews he captained the Varsity football club, and while he was still in his teens he acted as secretary of Dundee Victoria Cricket Club, and was one of the club’s most reliable batsmen.

A host of former fellow-students at St Andrews and Oxford will mourn the loss of the gallant young officer, in whom they admired intellectual gifts which were quite remarkable and a winsome modesty and geniality of disposition.  To his sorrowing parents and other members of their family a very large circle of friends will extend heartfelt sympathy.

Mr Thomson has another son in the Royal Engineers (Signal Section).

Dundee Courier 31st July 1916