Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Thompson, a boot and shoe trade edge setter, born in the October quarter of 1858 in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire and baptised on the 19th April 1859 in the Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, Earl Shilton (son of Charles Thompson, 1825-1869 and Charlotte Ball, 1825-1897) and his wife Edith Thompson (nee Chesterton, married on the 2nd November 1880 in the Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, Earl Shilton), born in the January quarter of 1860 in Earl Shilton (daughter of Charles Chesterton, 1839-1894 and Sarah Armson, 1837-1893). Vincent Maurice was born on the 25th March 1899 in Earl Shilton and baptised on the 12th October 1902 in the Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, Earl Shilton, his siblings were, John Charles, a boot and shoe trade rivetter, born on the 27th February 1882 and baptised on the 10th September 1882 in the Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, Earl Shilton, Edith Gertrude, a boot and shoe trade eyelet maker, born on the 7th January 1886 and baptised on the 14th March 1886 in the Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, Earl Shilton, Lilian, a hosiery trade winder, born on the 11th April 1888 and baptised on the 12th August 1888 in the Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, Earl Shilton, Susan Blanch, born on the 16th April 1892 and baptised on the 12th October 1902 in the Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, Earl Shilton, Norah Grace, born on the 10th March 1894 and baptised on the 12th October 1902 in the Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, Earl Shilton,, Augustus Hugh, born on the 8th January 1896 and baptised on the 12th October 1902 in the Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, Earl Shilton,, Elsie May, born on the 29th May 1897 and baptised on the 12th October 1902 in the Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, Earl Shilton, and Agatha Evangeline, born in the July quarter of 1900, all his siblings were born in Earl Shilton, in March 1901 the family home was at 85, Church Street, Earl Shilton. Agatha Evangeline died, aged 17 months in November 1901 and was interred in Earl Shilton Cemetery on the 29th November 1901.
In April 1911 Vincent was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at 9, Hill Top, Earl Shilton, together with his father, a boot and shoe trade finisher, his mother and siblings, Edith, a boot and shoe trade machinist, Lilian, a hosiery trade winder, Norah, a boot and shoe trade stockroom worker, Augustus, a grocer’s errand boy and Elsie May.
Vincents, brother Augustus, fell in action on the 14th July 1916.
FAMILY NOTE: Vincent also had the following sibling, Edward Hiram, born in the April quarter of 1890 in Earl Shilton and baptised on the 11th May 1890 in the Church of St. Simon & St. Jude, Earl Shilton and who died, aged 9 years in the April quarter of 1899 in Earl Shilton.
Vincent’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested into the Regular Army. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 45314.
Transferred. To 13th Bn. West Yorkshire Regt. date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 88289.
Transferred. To 51st Graduated Bn. West Yorkshire Regt. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 107240.
First entered the theatre of war in France after the 31st December 1915.
Posted. To 8th Bn. Border Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 29450.
Posted. To “A” Company, 2nd Platoon. Date not known.
Reported missing in action. In the Field. 10/4/18.
Officially recorded to have died on or since. 10/4/18.
Body not recovered. Commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Comines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium.
Awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Vincent nominated his father, John as his sole legatee.
The War Diary records: 10 Apr-18 – TOUQUET SECTOR. Dull – slight mist. Enemy attacked about 5.30am after a heavy bombardment. “A” Company practically cut off. “B,” “C” and “D” Companies retired to Reserve Line – which was soon enveloped and about midday Battalion withdrew with other troops to a NORTH and SOUTH Line West of LEBIZET. A Further withdrawal to the road, CLEF DE LA BELGIQUE – OOSTHOVE was necessitated during the afternoon, and late at night the right flank was swung back to the line COURTE RUE OOSTHOVE – DOUDOU. Two Companies 9th CHESHIRE REGIMENT being on our right at COURTE RUE and 2 Companies 9th CHESHIRE REGIMENT on our left at OOSTHOVE.
APPENDIX.
Lieutenant BOTT M.C., ably assisted by Sergeant GRANT D.C.M., had established telephonic communication with all Companies and with outlying posts, and during the early hours Battalion Headquarters was in almost constant communication with all Companies. Beyond the heavy bombardment nothing extraordinary was reported. As late as 6.00am “A” Company (left front) reported “All well” but soon after a message was received from Captain COXON (“B” Company) that the enemy were in HALFWAY HOUSE, and a little later at LE TOUQUET STATION. Captain COXON reports that he was compelled to withdraw to RAILWAY SWITCH, several of his posts having been cut off. Nothing more was heard from “A” Company who later it transpired that 2nd Lieutenant PRESTON, Company Sergeant Major GENT and about 20 Other Ranks had been driven back towards PLOEGSTEERT WOOD where a junction was effected with remnants of the 7th Brigade. It is presumed that the remainder of “A” Company were cut off, Mr. ALLAN being badly wounded, Mr. WATTS was also wounded, but managed to escape.
Both Support Companies having been warned to be ready for immediate action, a watch was sent from Battalion Headquarters to endeavour to discover what the real situation was – all spare rifles being sent down NICHOLSON AVENUE to keep in touch with Support Companies in the Reserve Line.
At 6.45am the watch reported that Battalion Headquarters was being outflanked from the direction of SURREY FARM and also from the direction of RESERVE FARM – indeed by that time Headquarters was already cut off from front and rear and there was nothing else for it but to fall back and endeavour to either.
[a] Get in touch with XI CHESHIRE REGIMENT or [b] Work around to LE BIZET and rejoin the Support Companies.
As it happened the XI CHESHIRE REGIMENT appeared to be in much the same plight, and it was only by making a considerable detour around the North end of PLOEGSTEERT VILLAGE that the Commanding Officer and his orderly were able to get around the enemy and rejoin the remainder of the Battalion in the Reserve Line. Even then enemy Machine Gun fire was opened from a house in the village.
Meanwhile “B,” “C” and “D” Companies under Captains COXON, BENTLEY and DAWSON were still holding out in the line GUNNERS FARM – LYS FARM, and as Companies of the 2nd SOUTH LANCASHIRE REGIMENT and 6th SOUTH WALES BORDERERS had been sent up to their assistance, the position was not devoid of hope as the 34th Division (South of the LYS) were still in the line and had not been attacked. This was the position when about 9.00am the Commanding Officer rejoined the Battalion. Unfortunately, our left flank in NICHOLSON AVENUE (GUNNERS FARM) though it had touched up with a post of the XI CHESHIRE REGIMENT was otherwise in the air, the enemy holding TILLEUL just North West of GUNNERS FARM. More unfortunately still the SOUTH WALES BORDERERS at this time were withdrawn to DOU-DOU FARM and the chance to extend our left flank was missed. Having sized up the situation and sending word to captain DAWSON as to the danger on the left flank, the Commanding Officer proceeded to report to Brigadier General HANNAY (who had relieved General DOBBIN the day previous). Returning to LE BIZET it was seen that the enemy had enveloped our left flank by moving on GASOMETER CORNER on the North end of LE BIZET. The counter attacking troops being available a withdrawal was necessary. This was only achieved with difficulty – Lieutenant DUGGAN and a party of “D” Company found it necessary to rush GRANDE RABECQUE and the North end of LE BIZET – capturing a Machine Gun in doing so. Having no ammunition for the gun it was thrown into the bottom of a ditch. By 1.00pm the withdrawal was well underway and the line was reorganised just West of LE BIZET as under: -
ROYAL ENGINEERS Captain CATON (?).
“D,” “B,” “C” Companies BORDER REGIMENT.
1 Company SOUTH WALES BORDERERS.
1 Company 2nd SOUTH LANCASHIRE REGIMENT Major STEWART.
Joining up with 2 Companies of 9th CHESHIRE REGIMENT (Colonel FULTON) who in turn joined up with remnants of XI CHESHIRE REGIMENT, BORDER REGIMENT, 2nd SOUTH LANCASHIRE REGIMENT under Lieutenant Colonel J. B. ALLSOPP at REGINA FARM. The right flank of this line was resting on the LYS and two Companies of 9th CHESHIRE REGIMENT were in support in the OOSTHOVE Road.
Early in the afternoon Major BELLINGHAM (Machine Gun Battalion) reported that one Company of 2nd SOUTH LANCASHIRE REGIMENT under Captain ROSS was still East of LE BIZET. An attempt was made to join up with this Company across the North end of LE BIZET thus in the hope of still keeping touch with the 34th Division who were holding the RAILWAY BRIDGE with a Machine Gun. A patrol under Lieutenant J. DUGGAN was accordingly sent out by Captain DAWSON but LE BIZET was found to be strongly held with Machine Guns and as by this time the Company of 2nd SOUTH LANCASHIRE REGIMENT were retiring the project was abandoned.
About 1.00pm Lieutenant BOTT and Major WILKINSON rejoined the Battalion having attached themselves to Lieutenant Colonel ALLSOPP’S party earlier in the day. 2nd Lieutenant GRELLIS and Regimental Sergeant Major LIGHTFOOT remaining with a detail of about 100 men of the BORDER REGIMENT who had come up from TRANSPORT. Acting under orders of General Officer Commanding Division Lieutenant Colonel ALLSOPP’S party at 5.30pm counter-attacked the village of PLOEGSTEERT – the right of the line being ordered to conform with this advance. Unfortunately, word did not reach the right until 6.10pm and it was then too late to take any part in the counter-attack which was not successful owing to the extraordinary number of Machine Guns which the enemy had placed in the several farm houses along the front. Enemy Machine Guns had also been placed in the Southern end of LE BIZET. The extreme right flank was seen to retire and also some SOUTH WALES BORDERERS in the centre. This was followed by a general withdrawal of the right on to the OOSTOVE Road. It is not definitely known why this retirement took place, as nowhere was the enemy pressing. The withdrawal was a costly one owing to the heavy Machine Gun fire over the very flat stretch of country. Elements of the Brigade who had fallen back were reorganised in front of the road running South from OOSTOVE and continuing on to the river LYS – the ROYAL ENGINEERS being on the right, BORDER REGIMENT next touching up with 9th CHESHIRE REGIMENT on our left. The night was exceedingly quiet and there was almost an entire lack of artillery fire on both sides.
Communication was by runner – no other being available. During the night orders were received to swing our right flank back so as to face South – 9th CHESHIRE REGIMENT to be on right in touch with COURTE RUE, the BORDER REGIMENT on their left with their right flank on OOSTHOVE – touching up with the other two Companies 9th CHESHIRE REGIMENT, who in turn were in touch with SOUTH WALES BORDERERS on the line East of OOSTHOVE – DOU-DOU. This movement was carried out about 2.00am and completed before dawn.
[recognitum XXII-X-MMXXIII]

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Photograph sent by AS Ellis on 23/10/23 of Maurice and his girlfriend Girt Marsh.