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Walter Henry Thompson
Walter Henry Thompson (1890-1978) was a British police officer who is best known as the bodyguard of Winston Churchill for eighteen years, between 1921-1935, and between 1939-1945 ...view moreWalter Henry Thompson (1890-1978) was a British police officer who is best known as the bodyguard of Winston Churchill for eighteen years, between 1921-1935, and between 1939-1945 during World War II.
Born on December 3, 1890 in Brixton, London, Thompson was one of thirteen children and went to work at the age of 8 in order to supplement the family income. He went to work as a clerk, studied for the Civil Service, and joined the Metropolitan Police when he was just 21. He was soon transferred to the Special Branch section of Scotland Yard, where he remained for a total of 29 years. For more than 19 of these years he was Winston Churchill’s bodyguard and “shadow.” In this capacity Mr. Thomson has visited, with Churchill, about thirty different countries, and had a ring-side seat at some of the most important historical events of our times. He retired in 1936 but was personally called back to duty by Sir Winston in 1939 and stayed by the Prime Minister’s side throughout the war.
Thompson had five children, one of whom was lost in action over Germany during the war, and lived in Romney, Kent, with his wife, Mary Shearburn Thompson. He lectured extensively, was a member of the New Romney town council, head warden of the Romney Marsh civil defense area, and vice president of the football club.
Thompson died of cancer on January 18, 1978 in Yeovil, Somerset, aged 87.view less