Sapper Magnus John (Leslie or Les) Thomson #75440, Engineers : 100 Years of WW1 Commemoration -

Sapper Magnus John (Leslie or Les) Thomson #75440, Engineers:

 

 AT LEFT:
“Les” Thomson, outside the old Thomson & Georgeson Factory on corner of Eton & Chester Sts., Otautau (for whole photo, see post on A.D. Thomson)

Taken off 2010.67 from Otautau Museum Collection – Photo in Public Domain

 Born 1^st December 1988, and named Magnus John, but known as Leslie and called “Les”. His probate names him this way: THOMSON  - Magnus John, also known as THOMSON  - Magnus Leslie of Otautau and Riverton, Retired Builder. The second youngest son of (John) called James and (William) MARGARET Thomson of Otautau, Les had two elder brothers who he may have been named after – 1) John Magnus who had been born five years earlier and sadly died at just 9 months old and – 2) John Leslie who was born just a couple of years earlier and who also tragically died at 9 months old. The children were all born in Invercargill, before the whole family moved to Otautau, at the time of the eldest son James - along with his business partner Geo. Georgeson, winning the contract to build the Otautau Courthouse (which incidentally now houses the Otautau Museum). James’ father had also worked for the company, and the firm was to go on to build other important structures, and buildings around town, such as the replacement bridge over the Aparima (Jacob's) River at Yellow Bluff.

ABOVE: The Otautau Courthouse (now Museum), built 1908 by Thompson & Georgeson

Les’ youngest brother Alex (written about in a previous blog post) was killed in action around the middle of 1917, and this well may have been some kind of catalyst for Les to sign up. He had married local lass Mary Ruth Walker in 1914 and was still working as a joiner in the family building business, of Thomson & Georgeson. His brother Alex had also worked here for a time previously, before heading off to the war. Les and Mary lived on Devon Street, in Otautau.

 Thomson & Georgeson's new factory, Sorn Street 

by the Railway Stockyards; opened in 1914 

(still partially standing in 2018):Part of 2010.80 Otautau Museum Collection
Photo in Public Domain

ABOVE: New advertising in OSWCC 22/12/1914, after relocation

Before Les joined up on 30/10/1917 at age 28, he had served the full term of three years with the Invercargill City Guards in the city where the family had resided before moving to Otautau. Although Les joined up with the 40^th Reinforcements of the NZEF, he commenced duty on 30/3/18 but didn’t start active service until 10/8/1918, embarking from Wellington NZ as a Private on that date. Before leaving the district, Les was invited to a farewell social at the Otautau Methodist Church, where he was a valued trustee and worker, being called “a credit to the district and the church with which he was connected,” according to a report in the OSWCC (Otautau Standard & Wallace County Chronicle), on 23 July 1918. He was also a member of both the Rechabite and Manchester Unity Lodges, and the M.U.I.O.O.F put on a farewell for him as well, where Les was given a case of pipes to remember the members by, while in the trenches. Being transferred to the NZ Engineers Reinforcements as a Sapper, Les served with the NZ Field Engineers from 23/4/1918. It was not until 5/8/1918 that he joined up to the 43^rd Reinforcements, also with the NZ Engineers. Les was only overseas for just over a year, and seeing out the duration of the war without injury, he was one of the very lucky ones. After a month’s leave without pay in the early part of 1919, Les left for NZ 2/7/1919 on the S.S. Somerset from Liverpool and was eventually discharged on 17/9/19. 

On returning from the war, Les rejoined the family firm and continued to work for Thomson & Georgeson, and at the time of his father’s death in 1921, was a partner in the firm with his elder brother, James who was a Sawmiller for the company. Les and his wife proceeded to have two children, but she sadly predeceased him by nearly 20 years, passing away on 8/2/1957. Les himself lived on until 12/07/76 and they are both buried together in the Soldier’s section at the Hodgkinson Cemetery, just out of Otautau. Les’ son William (Bill) is still alive at the time of writing this, and has recently won a 60 year Service Badge from the Freemason’s in 2017, for his time with the Wallace Lodge in Otautau.

  Transcript of a letter written to Les by younger brother Alex, during WWI, dated just  four days before Alex’s death, can be seen on Alexander Dean Thomson’s blogpost. This photo is of an item for which the Otautau Museum holds a copy of. Photo in the Public Domain:

 

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SOURCES: Any direct references are marked and cited. Grateful thanks are given to the family for providing additional photographs and information - Article researched and compiled by Suzie Best - Researcher/Historian, ph: 027-211-4675 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The content within this blog is Copyright: Photos - as stipulated above; those from Ōtautau Museum and Heritage Trust (contact on: otautau.museum@gmail.com); Research/text - to the author, unless stipulated otherwise (contact on: riverstream@xtra.co.nz)