Gary John Thompson was born in Melbourne on 21 July 1947. He completed his secondary education at Newlands High School in the Melbourne suburb of Coburg. Before entering the Army on 1 May 1968 as National Serviceman 3703406,
Gary was employed as a Probate Clerk by Union Fidelity Trustee Company of Australia, Limited. Gary commenced OTU on 17 May with C Class, 2/68, and was allocated to 4 Section, 2 Platoon, A Company. His ‘Father’ was OC Brian Ford and his ‘Brother’ was OC Neil Curnow, who just happened to have the same birthdate! In his Senior Term Gary was the Platoon Sergeant for 2 Platoon. On graduation from OTU on 10 October 1968, Gary was allocated to the RAInf Corps and posted to the Infantry Centre. In 1969 Gary married Sylvia. Gary was still at the Infantry Centre when he discharged from NS on 30 April 1970.
Below left: the couple had one child, Steven. Post-Army Gary went into the IT area, and enjoyed sailing from Williamstown, Victoria. Gary and Sylvia divorced and some years later Sylvia was struck down with dementia. Their son Steven had her transferred to Adelaide to be near him. In 2001 Gary married Liway. They have a daughter Angelica.
Gary had been living in South-East Asia and had been treated for cancer for some time. A couple of years ago Gary attended a School Reunion in Heidelberg, Vic. By this time, he had lost his right ear to the cancer. His former school mates stated that his situation ‘sounded complicated’. Gary went into the Olivia Newton-John Hospital in Melbourne where, sadly he died on 2 December 2022 from prostate cancer.
A Memorial Service was held for Gary at his sailing club at Williamstown, Victoria, on 15 January 2023. Above: Ross Wyman (2/68) photo. Gary (rear, 2nd from right) with Neil Curnow on his right. Left: The ‘Skipper’, Gary, far left, in his sailing days. Below right: Gary and Liway
