Captain Arthur Herbert Thompson (June 1890 25 September 1916) was an English soldier and amateur association football player, known for playing in the first official Superclásico of Argentine association football.
Born and raised in Sevenoaks, Thompson moved to Buenos Aires in 1911 to work as a staff member in the British Bank of South America. He started his association football career with Estudiantes, where he played from October 1911 to July 1913, making 15 appearances and scoring 8 goals. After which, he moved to River Plate, where he played the first official Superclásico in his debut for the club. He played 3 more games in 1914 before going back to England in October of that year. Thompson participated in the First World War, and died in the Battle of the Somme during the capture of Gueudecourt. He is one of the three Englishmen to have ever played in the club, and the only English River Plate player to have ever played in a Superclásico.
Early life
In June 1890,1916 Sevenoaks School Quarterly Arthur Herbert Thompson was born in the town of Sevenoaks, located in the United Kingdom. He lived and grew up in his parents' residency of 6 Argyle Road, along with his two brothers: Sidney Ernest Thompson and Cecil George Thompson. His father, Arthur, worked as a superintendent in the town's post office. Thompson and Sidney both went to the Lady Boswell's School for their elementary education; nonetheless, Thompson would move to the Sevenoaks School for his high school years. In 1908, Thompson played in the starting eleven of his school's association football team.1908 Sevenoaks School Magazine Moreover, after graduating from high school, he served in the Queen's Own West Kent Yeomanry for four years as a trooper and was the secretary of the Old Sennockians' Club, founded by ex-alumni of the Sevenoaks School.
Career
Estudiantes Thompson travelled to Argentina in 1911 to work for the British Bank of South America as a staff member. His first job at a bank was at the Union of London Bank and Smith's Bank as a clerk. His Argentine association football career started in October 1911 with Estudiantes as a centre-forward, as described by journalists of the time, where he played 15 matches and scored 8 goals. According to Andrés Burgo, Thompson scored one of his most important goals for the club in the Round of 32 of the Copa de Honor against River Plate in July 1913, where he scored the Estudiantes' third goal to comeback from 20 deficit in a match that ended 24. With this result, Estudiantes eliminated River Plate, the club whom he joined later in year.
River Plate
His first match in River Plate was on 24 August 1913 against Boca Juniors, where River won 2–1, making it the first official Superclásico in the history of Argentine association football. In 1914, Thompson played three more matches for River Plate as a defender: a 3–0 win against Banfield, a 2–1 win against Belgrano Athletic Club, and a 2–0 loss against Racing Club. Thompson returned to England from Argentina on 3 October 1914 in the port of Liverpool, boarding the RMS Amazon. He is one of the three Englishmen to have ever played in the club, and the only English River Plate player to have ever played in a Superclásico.
Later life and death After his return to England, Thompson volunteered on 30 October 1914 to fight for the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in the First World War, three months after the outbreak of the conflict. During his services, he was a lieutenant in the 12th Battalion that arrived in December 1915, but was later attached to the 10th Battalion. On 20 January 1916, he married Milicent Emily () at the St. Mary Church in Kippington, Sevenoaks; a honeymoon between the two was made at Folkstone. Back with his services, Thompson would become temporarily the Captain of the 10th battalion until his death in the Battle of the Somme during the Capture of Gueudecourt on 25 September 1916, After his death, his wife received this letter from Second Lieutenant F. R. Parker Dexter:
His obituary would be published by the Sevenoaks Chronicle on 6 October 1916, which is cited by the Sevenoaks War Memorial, where he is remembered. Furthermore, Thompson is also remembered in the Thiepval Memorial at the Pier and Face 11 C and 12 A section and in the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Buenos Aires. Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeague and Copa de HonorDivisionAppsGoalsClub Atlético Estudiantes1911-1913Primera División158Total158River Plate1913Primera División101914Primera División30Total40Career total198
Military awards Thompson's decorations, awards, and badges include, among others:
1st rowVictory Medal British War Medal External links
Arthur Herbert Thompson at Find a Grave A. Thompson at La Historia River
Notes
Footnotes
Citations
Works cited