User talk:Jah289

I am most grateful. I could not find it on the London gazette. I have written to the Telegraph obituaries as follows

Dear Sir or Mdm. Brigadier W F K (Sheriff ) Thompson. “Sheriff” Thompson was a military correspondent for the daily Telegraph for many years until he died in 1980. I cannot find amongst my papers a copy of what I’m sure would have been an obituary in the Telegraph at that time. He was the colonel of the first air landing Regiment at the battle around Arnhem in 1944. He was the honorary Colonel of what was in the 1970s, 289 Parachute battery Royal horse Artillery based in East Ham. I was for some years a subaltern in the battery and his presence as our “big gun” was memorable and much appreciated. I tried to go onto Wikipedia to include him as he should be in the missing decade. Quite correctly they asked me to prove the citing and I have tried without success to find him in various suitable documents such as the London gazette, without success. Would you by chance have access to the obituary at that time – he died, I think on 6 June 1980. In passing, I remember a story written by another war correspondent who had been with him in the eastern Mediterranean. A number of them were gathered round talking about matters and sheriff had just started a story when the unmistakable sound of incoming missiles was heard. Everyone dived for the ditch and following the explosion climbed out to find that “Sheriff” had not moved from his seat and was still telling the story.

Honorary Colonels[edit source] The regiment's Honorary Colonel was Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma from formation in 1956, through to 1967.[4] He had been Honorary Colonel of the predecessor 292nd (5th London) Parachute Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.[7] The position seems to have been vacant from 1967 until 13 November 1978 when Lt-Gen SirTerence D.H. McMeekin was appointed. He was succeeded on 13 November 1983 by Maj-Gen Arthur G.E. Stewart-Cox.[4]

I should be most grateful for any aid that you could give. Yrs Aye John Hancox

I also found the attached in the Himalayan Journal! The Himalayan Journal BRIG. W. F. K. THOMPSON

BRIGADIER W. F. K. THOMPSON, late Royal Artillery, went to India in 1932 to join a Moimtain Battery. He served in Razmak and Quetta and it was here that he acquired his love of climbing and also his nickname of 'Sheriff'. He joined the Himalayan Club and did a number of original rock climbs round Quetta and in Baltistan.

He returned to England in 1936 and organized the first Himalayan Club dinner the following year. Unfortunately a fall, early in the War, crushed some vertebrae and put paid to any further climbing. But it did not prevent him from commanding the First Airlanding Light Regt. R.A. in Italy and Arnhem and the 61st Light Regt. in Korea, where he came in contact with the Indian Brigade. In 1959 he retired from the Army to become Defence Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. In this capacity he visited Ladakh during the Indo- China War and was delighted to see old friends and to be among his beloved mountains again. At the time of his death, in June 1980. he was engaged in writing Naval and Military history of the 18th Century.

Mrs. Rosemary Thompson

I think that I may not have the skills to do this justice? If someone else would provide a suitable page, I would understand. If I can help, please say. There are good photographs of him during the Arnhem conflicts. Many thanks Yrs aye John HJah289 (talk) 10:18, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * I've add a bit about him to 289. The extract from the Himalayan Journal, do you have full details of the edition e.g. date, volume number, page etc?  That's the level of detail needed for a good citation.  The other correspondent who dived for cover was Max Hastings. Nthep (talk) 11:22, 27 September 2016 (UTC)

Many thanks. Amused by Max Hastings. He may have instigated the story that I remember. The Himalayan Journal is Vol 38 dated 1982. I will try to attach the pdf but I searched "The Himalayan Journal W F K (Sheriff) Thompson" and it gave me "https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/38/27/in-memoriam-38/"

Hope that helps. Sorry for delay been watering the gimmer yearlings whilst they wait the tup!

Yrs aye John H Jah289 (talk) 14:48, 27 September 2016 (UTC)
 * Thanks John. If you can check out the page number from the pdf there is enough to go on.  I'll start with something on him later. Nthep (talk) 15:00, 27 September 2016 (UTC)

Thanks again - He is on page 3 at the bottom

Yrs aye John H Jah289 (talk) 15:07, 27 September 2016 (UTC)

Here you go William Francis Kynaston Thompson Nthep (talk) 18:40, 29 September 2016 (UTC)

Many thanks. I shall circulate to the "old and bold of 289". One tiny change tho' - He was Hon col of 289 Parachute Battery RHA between those date. It is minor but it was a red beret unit. It became a commando battery and as such wore the green marine beret and its Hon Col became a Marine. A sign of the changes in armed forces, from a regiment to a single gun battery in 50 years.

Many thanks. Yrs aye John H Jah289 (talk) 07:46, 30 September 2016 (UTC)