with the rank of captain (temporary major). (The RAF initially used the army ranks inherited from the RFC). Soon after, the former No. 7 Squadron RNAS, now No. 207 Squadron RAF, was withdrawn from France to be re-equipped with the Handley Page O/400 heavy bomber at RAF Andover. On 24 May 1918 Thomson was appointed commander of No. 207 Squadron which returned to France on 7 June to be based at Ligescourt as part of No. 54 Wing of the Independent Air Force, to mount night-bombing operations. However his tenure was short as Thomson was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel on 27 July, and transferred to command of No. 215 Squadron RAF. On 2 August 1918 Thomson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. His citation read: Captain (Temporary Major) Gordon Lindsay Thomson, DSC. "This officer has carried out 340 hours flying, and has taken part in fourteen bombing raids. In one of the latter he led his formation to destroy a bridge over a canal; he flew at a considerable altitude over the objective, watching each machine drop its bombs, and endeavoured to observe the results. After all his machines had completed the raid and departed for the lines, he glided down and passed over the bridge at 140 feet altitude. In face of very severe machine-gun fire he crossed and re-crossed the objective in order to ascertain the results obtained. No material damage being apparent, he flew across it again at 100 feet altitude, dropping his bombs in a final attempt to destroy the bridge. He is a fine leader, and the excellent spirit in his squadron is largely due to his personal example." Thomson left the RAF after the end of the war, being transferred to the unemployed list on 1 March 1919. On 19 July 1919 Thomson and his brother Captain Alexander Thomson were two of the ex-servicemen of the parish who were presented with silver-mounted walking sticks in recognition of their military service from the Parish Council of Effingham, where their father was a parish councillor, as part of the Peace Day celebrations marking the signing of the Treaty of Versailles which brought the war to an end. Thomson died at Staplehurst, Kent, at the age of 69. See also List of Cambridge University Boat Race crews References External links 1884 births 1953 deaths People from Battersea People educated at University College School