Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Robert Donald Thomson, a coal master, born 1862 in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland, and his wife Eva Kathleen Thomson (ne Hyde, married in the 1st quarter of 1889 in the Brentford, Middx. district), born 1862 in St. John’s Wood, Middx. Douglas Hyde was born on the 18th January 1891 in Hugglescote, Leics., he had one sibling, a brother Robert Hyde, born 1890 in Hugglescote, Leics., in April 1891 the family home was at Spring Cottage, Bardon Row, Hugglescote, Leics. In March 1901 Douglas was absent from the family home at Pool House, Groby, Leics., residing there was his father a coal master, his mother and brother Cater Hyde, born 1893 in Hugglescote, Leics., also residing with the family was his maternal aunt, Mabel M. Hyde, born 1866 in Lanarkshire, Scotland. In April 1911 Douglas was absent from the family home at Pool House, Groby, Leics., residing there was his father a colliery proprietor, his mother and siblings, Cater, a student and Eva Christian Hyde, born 1902 in Groby, Leics., Douglas was serving as a Sub Lieutenant with the Royal Navy based at Romney Road, Greenwich, Kent. He was officially recorded at birth with the surname Thomson, Hyde his mother’s maiden name being his second name, reference is made to his surname as Hyde-Thomson, though this was not generally used, his surname also appears as Thomason in some documents. Douglas enlisted and served with the Royal Navy, his service ecord gives the following details relating to his qualifications and advancement. Qualified as Lieut (T) in HMS Vernes 1912. In charge of Royal Naval Air Station Wireless Electrical and Torpedo Sections 1914 – 1916. Associate member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers. Since joining the Royal Naval Air Service up to date knowledge of recent technical developments in W/T and particularly regarding its application to aircraft. Supervised fitting of W/T electrical gear in Aircraft. Have flown Sopwith & White Sea Planes. B.E.2.e, J.S.4. Aeroplanes. He was transferred as Major, Temporary Lieutenant Colonel into the newly formed Royal Air Force on the 1/4/18. He was transferred from No.4 Section Air Department to the Air Ministry, Director of Operations for duty as a member of the Wireless Bureau, with a view to appointment as S.O. 1st Class on the 1/5/18. He was recorded as killed (UK), 21/5/18.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday May 24th, 1918

IBSTOCK

The Ibstock Collieries flag was flying at half-mast on Wednesday and Thursday last owing to the sad news having been received that Lieut.-Colonel Douglas Hyde Thomson, R.A.F. second son of the managing director of the colliery, Mr R. D. Thomson, Pool House, Groby, had been killed whilst flying near Dover on Tuesday last. Lieut.-Colonel Thomson was attached to the Air Ministry in London, and the fatal accident was investigated by the Kentish Coroner yesterday. On a flight, he landed at an aerodrome to remedy some slight engine trouble. On resuming his journey, he had risen about 50ft and in making a flank turn did not have the manoeuvring room, with the result that his machine nose-dived to the earth. When taken from the wreckage he was dead. The jury returned a verdict of death from misadventure.

Coalville Times article - Friday December 27th, 1918

A WORTHY MEMORIAL

TO LT-COL. D. HYDE-THOMSON, R.A.F.

A fund, the first of its kind in the Royal Air Force, has been established for the benefit of officers of the Force, which will be a perpetual memorial to the late Lieut.-Colonel Douglas Hyde-Thomson, who lived at The Pool House, Groby, and was killed which flying on duty on May 21st last. He was a son of Mr R. D. Thomson, of Ibstock Collieries. A sum has been paid to representatives of the Air Council for the purpose of establishing a prize to be known as the “Hyde-Thompson Memorial Prize,” to be awarded to any “non-commissioned officer or man who, when recommended for a commission as second-lieutenant (technical wireless) in the Royal Air Force, passes the best examination to qualify him for such rank in wireless telegraphy and kindred subjects during the period for which the said prize is awarded.” The prize will be awarded annually.

Lieut.-Colonel Hyde-Thomson’s death cut short a brilliant career. Joining the Royal Navy he soon attracted the attention of his seniors as being a young officer of remarkable mental capacity. His aim was towards the most technical branch of the Service, and at a very early age he became a torpedo lieutenant and one of the staff of H.M.S. Vernon. The air, and the infinite possibilities connected with flight which he had the prevision to believe it, fervently held a great attraction for him, so, soon after the formation of the naval branch of the Air Service, he transferred to the R.N.A.S. and brought with him an idea which, when in the course of time it is fully developed, will have an incalculable influence on the conduct of naval warfare. This idea was that of releasing a torpedo from an aeroplane. It has been proved in this war that a submarine is ineffective against a battleship adequately protected by escorting destroyers, but, it has yet to be seen that it is possible to devise any means of protecting a battleship from the concerted attack of several torpedo carrying aeroplanes. On the two occasions (in the Dardanelles in 1915) on which the torpedo carrying aeroplane was used, it met with complete success (at the time Lieut.-Col. Hyde-Thomson received congratulations from the Admiralty); but lack of opportunity has prevented its employment on a large scale.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 16/2/2018