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{{short description|Dutch politician}}
{{Infobox military person

| name = Lodewijk Thomson
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
| image = Thomson, L recent.JPG
{{Infobox officeholder
| caption = First lieutenant Thomson in 1910
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1869|06|11}}
|name = Lodewijk Thomson
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1914|06|15|1869|06|11}}
|image = Thomson, LWJK.jpg
|caption = Thomson in 1905
| placeofburial_label =
|office = Member of the [[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|House of Representatives]]
| placeofburial =
|term = {{start and end dates|1905|06|16|1913|06|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Voorschoten]], [[Netherlands]]
|1blankname = Political party
| death_place = [[Durrës]], [[Albania]]
|1namedata = [[Liberal Union (Netherlands)|Liberal Union]]
| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
|constituency = [[Leeuwarden]]
| nickname =
| birth_name = Lodewijk Willem Johan Karel Thomson
|birth_name = Lodewijk Willem Johan {{nowr|Karel Thomson}}
|birth_date = {{birth date|1869|06|11|df=y}}
| allegiance = [[Royal Netherlands Army]]
|birth_place = [[Voorschoten]], Netherlands
| branch =
|death_date = {{death date and age|1914|06|15|1869|06|11|df=y}}
| serviceyears = 1884 - 1914
|death_place = [[Durrës]], [[Principality of Albania]]
| rank = Major
|education = [[Koninklijke Militaire Academie]]
| servicenumber =
|allegiance = {{ubl|{{flagu|Netherlands|size=20px}}|{{flagu|Principality of Albania|size=20px}}}}
| unit =
| commands =
|branch_label = Branch
|branch = {{ubl|[[Royal Netherlands Army]]|[[Colonial Reserve Corps]]|[[International Gendarmerie]]}}
| battles =
|serviceyears_label = Service&nbsp;years
| battles_label =
| awards =
|serviceyears = 1884–1914
| relations =
|rank = Major
|battles_label = Conflicts
| laterwork =
|battles = {{plainlist|
* [[Dutch intervention in Lombok and Karangasem|Lombok Intervention]]
* [[Second Boer War]] (attaché)
* [[First Balkan War]] (attaché)
* [[Muslim Uprising in Albania]]{{KIA}}}}
|military_blank1 = Awards
|military_data1 = {{ubl|[[Order of William]]|[[Order of the Netherlands Lion]]|[[Order of Orange-Nassau]]}}
}}
}}


'''Lodewijk Willem Johan Karel Thomson''' ([[Voorschoten]], [[Netherlands]], June 11, 1869 - [[Durrës]], [[Albania]], June 15, 1914) was a Dutch military commander and politician. He served as a member of the [[Parliament of the Netherlands|Dutch parliament]] between 1905 and 1913. In 1914 he became the commander of a newly created [[International Gendarmerie]] force in the [[Principality of Albania]]. He was killed during fighting in the town of Durrës on 15 June 1914, becoming the first Dutch soldier to be killed during a peacekeeping mission.
'''Lodewijk Willem Johan Karel Thomson''' (11 June 1869&nbsp;– 15 June 1914) was a Dutch military commander and politician. He served as a member of the [[Parliament of the Netherlands|Dutch parliament]] between 1905 and 1913. In 1914, he became the commander of a newly created [[International Gendarmerie]] force in the [[Principality of Albania]]. He was killed during fighting in the town of Durrës on 15 June 1914, becoming the first Dutch soldier to be killed during a peacekeeping mission.


==Early life and military career==
== Early life ==
Lodewijk Thomson was born in [[Voorschoten]], [[Netherlands]] on June 11, 1869. His father was navy medical officer of British origin, while his mother a member of the noble Pompe van Meerdervoort family. After studying at a [[Hogere burgerschool]] in [[Rotterdam]] he joined the army in 1884 and studied at the [[Koninklijke Militaire Academie|Royal Military Academy]] in [[Breda]], holding the rank of a Second Lieutenant of the infantry. From 1891 he joined a reconnaissance unit and studied cartography. Between 1894 and 1896 he served in the Dutch colonial forces and took part in the [[Aceh War]], where he was awarded the grade of a Knight 4th class of the [[Military William Order]]. In the following years he published various articles on matters of cartography in military journal.
Lodewijk Thomson was born in [[Voorschoten]] on 11 June 1869. His father, Bernard Heidenreich Thomson, was a navy medical officer of British origin, while his mother a member of the noble Pompe van Meerdervoort family.


Thomson studied at a [[Hogere Burgerschool]] in [[Rotterdam]].
Between 1899 and 1900 he served as a [[military attaché]] in [[South Africa]]. In 1903, back in the Netherlands, he was given command of the military administration of railways around [[The Hague]] during a rail workers' strike. This earned him another decoration, the [[Order of Orange-Nassau]], and promotion to the rank of [[Captain (land)|captain]].<ref name="BWN">{{cite encyclopedia|encyclopedia=Biografisch Woordenboek van Nederland|title=THOMSON, Lodewijk Willem Johan Karel (1869-1914)|url=http://www.inghist.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/BWN/lemmata/bwn1/thomson}}</ref>


==Political career==
== Political career ==
In the [[Dutch general election, 1905|general elections of 1905]] Thomson was elected as a member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch parliament for the constituency of [[Leeuwarden]] on a [[Liberal Union (Netherlands)|Liberal Union]] ticket. He was re-elected in the [[Dutch general election, 1909|1909 elections]], but lost his seat in [[Dutch general election, 1913|1913]].<ref>{{cite web|title=L.W.J.K. Thomson|url=http://www.parlement.com/9291000/biof/01359}}</ref>
In the [[1905 Dutch general election|1905 general election]], Thomson was elected to the Dutch House of Representatives for the constituency of [[Leeuwarden]] on a [[Liberal Union (Netherlands)|Liberal Union]] ticket. He was re-elected in the [[1909 Dutch general election|1909 general election]], but lost his seat in the [[1913 Dutch general election|1913 general election]].<ref>{{cite web|title=L.W.J.K. Thomson|url=http://www.parlement.com/9291000/biof/01359}}</ref>


==Balkan Wars and Albania==
== Military career ==
Thomson joined the army in 1884, and studied at the [[Koninklijke Militaire Academie]] in [[Breda]], holding the rank of a second lieutenant of the infantry. From 1891, he joined a reconnaissance unit and studied cartography. Between 1894 and 1896, he served in the Dutch colonial forces and took part in the [[Aceh War]], where he was awarded the grade of a Knight 4th class of the [[Military Order of William]]. In the following years he published various articles on matters of cartography in military journal.
[[Image:William of Wied, Isa Boletini, Duncan Heaton-Armstrong and Colonel Thomson, Durrës, Albania - 19140613.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Prince [[Wilhelm of Wied]], [[Isa Boletini]] and officers of the International Gendarmerie: Duncan Heaton-Armstrong and Colonel Thomson near [[Durres]] in June 1914]]
{{main|Peasant Revolt in Albania}}
During the [[Balkan Wars]] of 1912 and 1913, Thomson again served as a military attaché, this time in [[Greece]]. In 1914, now holding the rank of [[major]], he was selected as head of the new [[International Gendarmerie]] force which was to work under the command of Dutch officers in Albanian service in a peacekeeping function to stabilize the newly independent [[Principality of Albania]]. On 15 June 1914, his unit was engaged in fighting around the town of [[Durrës]] in southern Albania, during which he was killed. According to sources, it is probable that an Italian [[sniper]] was behind his death.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.albanianphotography.net/en/dmm.html | title= Albania under prince Wied | first= Robert | last= Elsie | authorlink= Robert Elsie | archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.albanianphotography.net%2Fen%2Fdmm.html&date=2011-01-25 |quote=..rumoured, an Italian sniper was behind his death ... |archivedate= January 25, 2011 | accessdate= January 25, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=The six month kingdom: Albania 1914 |first=Duncan |last=Heaton-Armstrong|first2=Gervase |last2=Belfield |first3=Bejtullah D. |last3=Destani |page=177 |publisher=[[I. B. Tauris]] |year=2005 |isbn=1-85043-761-0 |quote=According to the most detailed analysis of the circumstances ... he was probably killed by an unidentified Italian sniper, not Moslem rebels. (Goslinga, Gorrit T A. ''The Dutch in Albania''. Rome, 1972, pp. 42-45) |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=LqXn2WqOzgwC&pg=PA177#v=onepage&q=Lodewijk%20Thomson%20sniper&f=false)}}</ref>


Between 1899 and 1900 he served as a military attaché in [[South Africa]]. In 1903, back in the Netherlands, he was given command of the military administration of railways around [[The Hague]] during a rail workers' strike. This earned him another decoration, the [[Order of Orange-Nassau]], and promotion to the rank of captain.<ref name="BWN">{{cite encyclopedia|title = Thomson, Lodewijk Willem Johan Karel (1869–1914)|url = http://www.inghist.nl/Onderzoek/Projecten/BWN/lemmata/bwn1/thomson|encyclopedia = [[Biografisch Woordenboek van Nederland]]}}</ref>
Thomson was initially buried in Albania but his remains were transferred to the Netherlands a month later and re-buried with great public attention in [[Groningen (city)|Groningen]]. As a reaction to Thomson's death and the general failure of the peacekeeping attempt, the Dutch activity in the Albanian gendarmerie was discontinued a short time later.


During the [[Balkan Wars]] of 1912 and 1913, Thomson again served as a military attaché, this time in Greece. In 1914, now holding the rank of major, he was selected as head of the new [[International Gendarmerie]] force which was to work under the command of Dutch officers in Albanian service in a peacekeeping function to stabilize the newly independent [[Principality of Albania]].
==Legacy==
== Death ==
[[File:Borstbeeld thomson.jpg|thumb | right | Bust of Thomson, Hereweg, Groningen]]
[[File:Durrës - Lodewijk Thomson.JPG|thumb|Monument of Lodewijk Thomson in Durrës]]
On 15 June 1914, his unit was engaged in fighting around the port of [[Durrës]] in central Albania, during which he was killed. According to sources, it is probable that an Italian sniper was behind his death.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.albanianphotography.net/en/dmm.html | title= Albania under Prince Wilhelm von Wied | first= Robert | last= Elsie | authorlink= Robert Elsie | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110717003848/http://www.albanianphotography.net/en/dmm.html |quote=..rumoured, an Italian sniper was behind his death ... |archive-date= July 17, 2011 | url-status = dead | access-date= January 25, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=The six month kingdom: Albania 1914 |first1=Duncan |last1=Heaton-Armstrong|first2=Gervase |last2=Belfield |first3=Bejtullah D. |last3=Destani |page=177 |publisher=[[I. B. Tauris]] |year=2005 |isbn=1-85043-761-0 |quote=According to the most detailed analysis of the circumstances ... he was probably killed by an unidentified Italian sniper, not Moslem rebels. (Goslinga, Gorrit T A. ''The Dutch in Albania''. Rome, 1972, pp. 42–45) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LqXn2WqOzgwC&q=Lodewijk+Thomson+sniper%29&pg=PA177}}</ref>


Thomson was initially buried in Albania. His remains were transferred to the Netherlands a month later and re-buried with great public ceremony in [[Groningen (city)|Groningen]]. As a reaction to Thomson's death and the general failure of the peacekeeping project, the Dutch activity in the Albanian gendarmerie was discontinued a short time later.
A street in Groningen as well as a street and a square in The Hague are named after Thomson. Public statues commemorating him were also erected in both Dutch cities, as well as in Durrës.


==References==
=== Legacy ===
A street in Groningen as well as a street and a square in The Hague are named after Thomson. Public statues commemorating him were also erected in both Dutch cities, as well as in Durrës, near the Venetian tower overlooking the port.
{{reflist}}

On Dutch Veterans' Day, 28 June 2014, a replica of the Groningen Statue was unveiled in the Dutch parliament building to mark the 100th anniversary of Thomson's death.<ref>[http://www.eerstekamer.nl/nieuws/20140628/onthulling_borstbeeld_luitenant Bust of Lieutenant- colonel Lodewijk Thomson unveiled]. [[Senate (Netherlands)|Dutch Senate website]], June 28, 2014</ref>{{full short|date=July 2019}}

== Awards and decorations ==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* Knight of the [[Military Order of William]] – 1887
* Knight of the [[Order of the Netherlands Lion]] – 1913
* Knight of the [[Order of Orange-Nassau]] with Swords – 1903
* Silver Honorary Medal for Merit possessed against Public Collections – 1912
* Long Service Medal for Officers
* Officer of the [[Legion of Honour]] – 1911
* Officer of the [[Order of the Redeemer]] – Greece
* Medal for the Greek–Turkish War of 1912–1913
* Knight of the [[Order of the Sword]] – Sweden, 1913
* Knight of the [[Order of Prince Danilo I]] – Montenegro
* Knight of the [[Order of the Black Eagle, Albania|Order of the Black Eagle]] – Albania, 1914
* [[Golden Medal of the Eagle]] – Albania, 2004
{{div end}}

== Footnotes ==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Thomson, Lodewijk
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Dutch politician
| DATE OF BIRTH = June 11, 1869
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Voorschoten]], [[Netherlands]]
| DATE OF DEATH = June 15, 1914
| PLACE OF DEATH = [[Durrës]], [[Albania]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomson, Lodewijk}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomson, Lodewijk}}
[[Category:1869 births]]
[[Category:1869 births]]
[[Category:1914 deaths]]
[[Category:1914 deaths]]
[[Category:Dutch military personnel killed in action]]
[[Category:Dutch military personnel killed in action]]
[[Category:Royal Netherlands Army officers]]
[[Category:Knights Fourth Class of the Military William Order]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Military history of Albania]]
[[Category:People from Voorschoten]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Koninklijke Militaire Academie]]
[[Category:Dutch people of British descent]]
[[Category:Dutch people of British descent]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Koninklijke Militaire Academie]]
[[Category:Knights Fourth Class of the Military Order of William]]
[[Category:Knights of the Order of Orange-Nassau]]
[[Category:Knights of the Order of the Netherlands Lion]]
[[Category:Knights of the Order of the Sword]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Officers of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:People from Voorschoten]]
[[Category:Royal Netherlands Army officers]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in Albania]]
[[Category:Foreign volunteers in the Second Boer War]]

Latest revision as of 16:17, 2 September 2024

Lodewijk Thomson
Thomson in 1905
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
16 June 1905 – 16 June 1913 (1905-06-16 – 1913-06-16)
Political partyLiberal Union
ConstituencyLeeuwarden
Personal details
Born
Lodewijk Willem Johan Karel Thomson

(1869-06-11)11 June 1869
Voorschoten, Netherlands
Died15 June 1914(1914-06-15) (aged 45)
Durrës, Principality of Albania
EducationKoninklijke Militaire Academie
Military service
Allegiance
  •  Netherlands
  •  Principality of Albania
Branch
Service years1884–1914
RankMajor
Conflicts
Awards

Lodewijk Willem Johan Karel Thomson (11 June 1869 – 15 June 1914) was a Dutch military commander and politician. He served as a member of the Dutch parliament between 1905 and 1913. In 1914, he became the commander of a newly created International Gendarmerie force in the Principality of Albania. He was killed during fighting in the town of Durrës on 15 June 1914, becoming the first Dutch soldier to be killed during a peacekeeping mission.

Early life

[edit]

Lodewijk Thomson was born in Voorschoten on 11 June 1869. His father, Bernard Heidenreich Thomson, was a navy medical officer of British origin, while his mother a member of the noble Pompe van Meerdervoort family.

Thomson studied at a Hogere Burgerschool in Rotterdam.

Political career

[edit]

In the 1905 general election, Thomson was elected to the Dutch House of Representatives for the constituency of Leeuwarden on a Liberal Union ticket. He was re-elected in the 1909 general election, but lost his seat in the 1913 general election.[1]

Military career

[edit]

Thomson joined the army in 1884, and studied at the Koninklijke Militaire Academie in Breda, holding the rank of a second lieutenant of the infantry. From 1891, he joined a reconnaissance unit and studied cartography. Between 1894 and 1896, he served in the Dutch colonial forces and took part in the Aceh War, where he was awarded the grade of a Knight 4th class of the Military Order of William. In the following years he published various articles on matters of cartography in military journal.

Between 1899 and 1900 he served as a military attaché in South Africa. In 1903, back in the Netherlands, he was given command of the military administration of railways around The Hague during a rail workers' strike. This earned him another decoration, the Order of Orange-Nassau, and promotion to the rank of captain.[2]

During the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913, Thomson again served as a military attaché, this time in Greece. In 1914, now holding the rank of major, he was selected as head of the new International Gendarmerie force which was to work under the command of Dutch officers in Albanian service in a peacekeeping function to stabilize the newly independent Principality of Albania.

Death

[edit]
Monument of Lodewijk Thomson in Durrës

On 15 June 1914, his unit was engaged in fighting around the port of Durrës in central Albania, during which he was killed. According to sources, it is probable that an Italian sniper was behind his death.[3][4]

Thomson was initially buried in Albania. His remains were transferred to the Netherlands a month later and re-buried with great public ceremony in Groningen. As a reaction to Thomson's death and the general failure of the peacekeeping project, the Dutch activity in the Albanian gendarmerie was discontinued a short time later.

Legacy

[edit]

A street in Groningen as well as a street and a square in The Hague are named after Thomson. Public statues commemorating him were also erected in both Dutch cities, as well as in Durrës, near the Venetian tower overlooking the port.

On Dutch Veterans' Day, 28 June 2014, a replica of the Groningen Statue was unveiled in the Dutch parliament building to mark the 100th anniversary of Thomson's death.[5][incomplete short citation]

Awards and decorations

[edit]

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ "L.W.J.K. Thomson".
  2. ^ "Thomson, Lodewijk Willem Johan Karel (1869–1914)". Biografisch Woordenboek van Nederland.
  3. ^ Elsie, Robert. "Albania under Prince Wilhelm von Wied". Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2011. ..rumoured, an Italian sniper was behind his death ...
  4. ^ Heaton-Armstrong, Duncan; Belfield, Gervase; Destani, Bejtullah D. (2005). The six month kingdom: Albania 1914. I. B. Tauris. p. 177. ISBN 1-85043-761-0. According to the most detailed analysis of the circumstances ... he was probably killed by an unidentified Italian sniper, not Moslem rebels. (Goslinga, Gorrit T A. The Dutch in Albania. Rome, 1972, pp. 42–45)
  5. ^ Bust of Lieutenant- colonel Lodewijk Thomson unveiled. Dutch Senate website, June 28, 2014
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