Gordon Thomson

Who was Gordon Thomson?

Gordon Lindsay Thomson DSC DFC was an English rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics for Great Britain.

Thomson was born in Wandsworth, London. He was educated at University College School in Hampstead and Trinity Hall, Cambridge.

Thomson partnered John Fenning at stroke in the coxless pairs to win the gold medal for Great Britain rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics. Later in the same afternoon he and Fenning were in the Leander coxless four with Philip Filleul and Harold Barker which won a silver medal, losing to the Magdalen College, Oxford crew.

In 1909, Thomson was a member of the Cambridge crew in the Boat Race, and won his rowing blue. In 1910, he won Silver Goblets at Henley Royal Regatta partnering John Burn to beat Albertus Wielsma and Bernardus Croon. He was also a rugby player who played for UCS Old Boys, London Scottish and Surrey.

At the outbreak of World War I, Thomson joined the Royal Naval Air Service and became Flight Lieutenant in 1915 and Flight Commander in 1916. He was awarded the DSC for his photographic work at low altitudes over enemy lines in Gallipoli. He also won the DFC and thus earned a rare “double” of medals for gallantry.