Thompson was born on 16 August 1914 in Keynsham, Somerset and he joined the Royal Air Force on 16 March 1934.
RAF career
He finished his pilot training in March 1935 and was posted to No. 29 Squadron. By 1937 he was a flight commander with No. 151 Squadron and then with promotion to acting squadron leader he took command of No. 111 Squadron with Hawker Hurricanes in January 1940.
Fighter ace
Thompson first saw action during the Battle of France, leading a detachment of No. 111 Squadron. His Hurricane was damaged by Bf 110s on 19 May, and he force-landed. He claimed two victories confirmed and 3 unconfirmed during this period. Under his command 111 Squadron provided escort for the Fleet Air Arm's bombing operations over the French coast during June 1940. He flew during the Battle of Britain, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in September. Thompson claimed a further four victories during the battle. He moved on to an air staff position with 11 Group in October 1940. He gained command of No. 131 Squadron in June 1941 and in November 1941 he became the commanding officer of No. 350 Squadron. In early 1942 he was moved to the Middle East to become a wing leader and later commanding officer of RAF Hal Far on Malta at the end of 1943. From August to October 1942, as Hal Far Wing Leader on Malta, Thompson claimed two more victories, a Ju 88 of KG 54 and a JG 27 Bf 109-F, and several aircraft damaged. After a spell as OC, No 338 Wing, by March 1944 he was SASO, HQ, No 210 Group. By the end of the war in May 1945 Thompson was Sector Commander stationed at RAF North Weald. At the end of the Second World War Thompson had eight confirmed destroyed and two shared, three unconfirmed destroyed, one probable and one shared and seven damaged.
Post-war
Thompson attended staff college in 1945. In June 1948 the Russians blockaded Berlin, cutting off the city's land and water access routes. AsThompson, as Wing Commander during this period, ensured supply aircraft carrying materials were able to land at RAF Gatow in the British sector of Berlin every two minutes. By 1957 he was officer commanding RAF Leeming, becoming the Director of Air Defence in December 1958. His last appointment was at HQ Military Air Traffic Organisation in 1962 until he retired in September 1966.
Retirement
Thompson became the general manager of Airwork in Saudi Arabia for the first two years after he retired from the RAF and then returned to the UK to become secretary of the Moor Park Golf Club which was followed by an 11-year tenure as secretary of the Monte Carlo Golf Club. In 1983 he returned to Sussex where he stayed until his death in 1994.
Honours and awards
6 September 1940 – Squadron Leader John Marlow Thompson awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross:
4 December 1942 – Wing Commander John Marlow Thompson, DFC, Reserve of Air Force Officers, Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross
1 January 1943 – Wing Commander John Marlow Thompson, DFC, Reserve of Air Force Officer – Military Cross, First Class, conferred by the Belgian government in recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war.
14 May 1943 – Wing Commander John Marlow Thompson, DFC, Reserve of Air Force Officers awarded the Distinguished Service Order:
1 January 1952 – Wing Commander John Marlow Thompson, DSO, DFC, RAF awarded the Air Force Cross
