Christopher Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Thomson
CBE, DSO, PC
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Secretary of State for Air | |
| In office 22 January 1924 – 3 November 1924 |
|
| Monarch | George V |
| Prime Minister | Ramsay MacDonald |
| Preceded by | Sir Samuel Hoare, Bt |
| Succeeded by | Sir Samuel Hoare, Bt |
| In office 7 June 1929 – 5 October 1930 |
|
| Monarch | George V |
| Prime Minister | Ramsay MacDonald |
| Preceded by | Sir Samuel Hoare, Bt |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Amulree |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 April 1875 Nasik, British India |
| Died | 5 October 1930 (aged 55) Allone, France |
| Resting place | Cardington, Bedfordshire |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
Christopher Birdwood Thomson, also known as Lord Thomson, was an important British figure. He was born on April 13, 1875, and passed away on October 5, 1930.
He started his career as an officer in the British Army. Later, he became a minister for the Labour Party. He was even made a peer, which is a special title of nobility.
Lord Thomson served as the Secretary of State for Air twice. This meant he was in charge of Britain's air force and aviation. He held this role under Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald in 1924, and again from 1929 to 1930. Sadly, his life ended in a terrible accident involving a large airship called the R101.
Contents
His Early Life
Christopher Birdwood Thomson was born in a place called Nasik (now Nashik) in India. His family had a military background. He went to a school called Cheltenham College.
His father, Major-General David Thompson, was a Royal Engineer. His mother was the daughter of another Major-General, Christopher Birdwood. This shows that serving in the military was a family tradition.
A Military Career
After finishing his studies at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1894, Thomson joined the Royal Engineers. He first worked in Mauritius. Then, he fought in the Second Boer War (1899–1902). During this war, he was in charge of a field company section. He was also mentioned for his bravery.
He even had his first experience with flying during this time. He helped with the Royal Engineers' Balloon Section near Kimberley. After the war, he became a teacher at the Royal School of Military Engineering in Chatham. He also taught in Sierra Leone.
In 1904, he was promoted to captain and then to major. In 1909, he joined the Army Staff College in Camberley. He worked at the War Office in 1911. In 1912, Thomson became a military attaché with the Serbian army. This was during the first and Second Balkan Wars. He returned to the War Office in 1913.
World War I Service
During the First World War, Thomson first worked at the British Expeditionary Force Headquarters. He was the main interpreter between Sir John French and General Joffre.
In 1915, he was sent to Bucharest as a military attaché. His mission was to convince Romania to join the war. However, Thomson quickly realized that Romania was not ready for war. He believed they would be a burden to the allies, not a help. This was because Romania was unprepared and faced war on three fronts.
Despite his concerns, he signed a Military Convention with Romania in August 1916. By the end of 1916, he had to deal with Romania's surrender. He oversaw the destruction of Romanian oil wells. This was done to prevent Germany from using them.
From 1917 to 1918, Thomson served in Palestine. He commanded the engineers of the 60th (2/2nd London) Division. He played a key role in battles like the Battle of Beersheba and the Capture of Jerusalem. He was especially recognized for his actions at the Capture of Jericho.
After the war, Thomson was part of the British team at the Versailles conference. This meeting set the terms for peace after World War I. However, he felt that the terms agreed upon would lead to another war. He found this experience very difficult.
Moving into Politics
After the Versailles conference, Thomson decided to enter politics. He joined the Labour Party and the Fabian Society. He tried to win a seat in Parliament in 1922 and 1923. However, he did not succeed.
In 1924, the new Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, gave him a special title. He was made a Baron Thomson, of Cardington. This meant he became a member of the House of Lords. He was also sworn into the Privy Council.
He became the Secretary of State for Air in MacDonald's first government in 1924. This government did not last long. He regained the position in 1929, again under Prime Minister MacDonald. In between his terms, he stayed involved in aviation. He was chairman of the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Royal Aero Club.
His Private Life
To his family, Thomson was known as Kit. His friends called him C. B. In 1915, while working in Bucharest, he met a French-Romanian author named Princess Marthe Bibesco. They became very close friends. They wrote letters to each other regularly. She even dedicated some of her books to him.
A Tragic End
Lord Thomson's second term as Secretary of State for Air ended sadly. He died in the crash of the R101 airship. This was a huge, government-designed airship. It crashed during its first long flight to Karachi in October 1930.
The accident was partly caused by pressure from Lord Thomson. He wanted the airship to make its first flight before all safety checks were finished. The crash killed 48 people. This tragedy led to the end of Britain's airship program. Lord Thomson's successor, Lord Amulree, cancelled it.
Selected Works
- Works in the National Archives
- Smaranda. A Compilation in Three Parts, Lord Thomson of Cardington (Christopher Birdwood Thomson), Jonathan Cape, 1926.
- Lord Thomson of Cardington: A memoir and some letters, Martha Bibescu, Jonathan Cape, 1932.
