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Saturday 6 January 2024

Thompson, Michael (Mickey) Stanley Desalis



Captain Michael (Mickey) Stanley Desalis Thompson
Thompson was born in Walsall, Staffordshire, England on 27th September 1920 to Capt R A J Thompson (Army Officer) and Edith Marjorie Thompson nee Sutherland.

The 1939 Belfast Street Directory records the family living at 11 Holland Park and previously at  277 Castlereagh Road, Belfast (1932 Belfast Street Directory).

Thompson was educated at Inst (RBAI) and featured in many cricket reports in the press. The Belfast News-Letter of 28th October 1938 reported that M S D Thompson was the head boy in Inst. He was still in school in 1939. 

On 15th May 1939 Thompson joined Northern Bank at Head Office giving his address as 11 Holland Park, Belfast.


Northern Bank, Head Office, Victoria Street, Belfast

Thompson enlisted for Active Service on 6th June 1940 when he joined the North Irish Horse / Royal Irish Fusiliers. His various promotions were from Fusilier to Lance Corporal to Corporal to Cadet (via Sandhurst) to 2nd Lieutenant (Service Number 184269) and then Captain in the Regular Army (1942) attached to the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR). The London Gazette records his later promotions as Lieutenant to Captain (1951) with Service Number 184269 (North Irish Horse). 

In 1967 he resigned his commission but retained his rank of Captain.
 
Following the war, Thompson resumed work with the Northern Bank on 26th August 1946 at Head Office. Transfers followed to Donegall Square (1946 - Assistant Accountant), Head Office – Relief Staff (1948), Willowfield (1948 - Accountant), Head Office (1955), Executor & Trustee (1960 - Pro- & then Sub-Manager), Head Office (1963) and Head Office (1966 - Assistant Chief Accountant).


Northern Bank, Donegall Square


Northern Bank, Willowfield branch (Woodstock Road)
Thompson married Miss Ross in September 1952.

Photograph courtesy of Ancestry (Helen Roberts)

The Belfast News-Letter of 1st May 1954 reported that M S D Thompson was the 1st prize winner in the Diploma of Foreign Exchange examinations of the Institute of Bankers in Ireland. 
The following year, the Belfast News-Letter of 18th May 1955 reported that he had won 2nd prize in the Executor & Trustee examinations.
In 1958, Thompson  had passed his final examination of the Corporation of Secretaries.
The main image is of Thompson attending the 1974 Ex-Servicemen's Association dinner.
Thompson was an editor of the bank staff magazine. This photo records him with other magazine editors, Doreen Muskett (left) and Ina Clarke (right):


He retired as Bank Secretary in 1983. The Staff Magazine ‘The Link’ (Winter 1983) records his retirement as on 31st October 1983.


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