 | Fleet Air Arm |
| Fleet Air Arm |
17 January 2005
'Tommy' Thompson, who died this month, joined the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm in 1943 and was sent to Canada for pilot training.
He returned to the UK for a naval conversion course in Barracudas and carried out his first deck landings in that type. He subsequently flew Swordfish and Sea Otter aircraft before the end of World War Two.
Post-war, he graduated as a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Manchester University.
He continued flying with the RNVR in Harvards, Fireflies, Avengers, Balliols and Vampires, including Firefly deck landings on HMS Illustrious during her last commission.
In 1957, Dr Thompson joined the RAN as a medical officer but was able to continue flying, doing a full jet conversion on Vampires and Venoms including deck landings on HMAS Melbourne. While at HMAS Albatross, he was Chief Flying Instructor of the Navy Gliding Club.
He joined Qantas as a medical officer in 1969 and specialised in aviation medicine. He became President of the Aviation Medical Society of Australia and New Zealand.
During this time he also continued his interest in gliding, and managed the Australian gliding team at the world championships in Poland and the USA.
For several years he was Honorary Medical Adviser to the Australian Branch of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. In 1986 he was reported to have retired to England, but subsequently returned to Australia.
He died in Queensland on 7th January 2005 after a battle with cancer.
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