Gordon Lindsay Thomson (27 March 1884 – 8 July 1953) was an English rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics for Great Britain. During the First World War he served as a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force. Early life and rowing career Thomson was born in Battersea, Surrey, the second of four children of Benjamin Thomas Lindsay Thomson and his wife Esther Florence (née Bowker). 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. World War I At the outbreak of World War I Thomson learned to fly, being granted Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate No. 873 on 20 August 1914 after soloing a Bristol biplane at the Bristol School at Brooklands. He joined the Royal Naval Air Service as a probationary flight sub-lieutenant on 24 August, and was confirmed in his rank on 30 October, and posted to HMS Pembroke III. On 1 January 1915 he was promoted to flight lieutenant, seeing active service during the Gallipoli Campaign between April 1915 and January 1916, and on 14 March 1916 received a mention in despatches from the Vice-Admiral Commanding the Eastern Mediterranean Squadron, and also the award of the Distinguished Service Cross for his low altitude photographic reconnaissance flights over enemy territory. On 30 June 1916 he was promoted to flight commander, and a year later, on 30 June 1917, to squadron commander. On 1 May 1918 Thomson was again mentioned in despatches "for zeal and devotion to duty during the period from 1 July to 31 December 1917". On 1 April 1918, Royal Naval Air Service was merged with the Army's Royal Flying Corps (RFC) to form the Royal Air Force, and Thomson joined the new service