Sir Ian Thompson

One of Fiji’s prominent 20th century leaders, Sir Ian Thompson, was buried in his native Glasgow, Scotland last week.

Since arriving in Fiji in 1941, Sir Ian served in various capacities with Fiji’s chiefs and commoners alike, with whom he had a great love and affection.

In return, he was bestowed a lot of love and respect.

Fiji’s interim Minister for Defense, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, whose father, the late former President Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau once served with Sir Ian, remembers the Scotsman as an inspirational leader and a great contributor to the country.

“Sir Ian was a true son of Fiji because he had dedicated most of his life here and has contributed a great deal to what the country is today,” he said.

“He was a great man of vision during the colonial era and was well respected by the chiefs then.

“He will probably go down in the history of Fiji as a great contributor to this nation.”

Sir Ian was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on January 8, 1920, attending his schooling years in Glasgow before serving with the Royal Highland Regiment in Scotland.

He was then posted to Fiji as an administrative officer in the Colonial Service.

He arrived in Fiji in March 1941, taking up duties as ADC to the Governor of Fiji, Sir Harry Luke. With Japan’s entry into WWII, Government House in Suva became a hive of strategic operations with Ian Thomson responsible for all decoding.

In 1942, as a young lieutenant, he joined C Company, Third Battalion, Fiji Infantry Regiment, commanded by the high-ranking Fijian chief, Ratu Sir Edward Cakobau.
For nine months of 1943 and 1944, now as adjutant to the Third Bn, FIR, he was in Bougainville on the front line of military action against Japanese forces.

On his return to Fiji as a captain, he was awarded the MBE (Mil) in recognition of gallant and distinguished service.

With the cessation of WWII, Sir Ian resumed civilian duties and married Nancy Kearsley of Vatuwaqa, Suva in 1945. Nancy Kearsley, a fourth generation Fiji islander, was the loving wife of Sir Ian until her untimely death in 1988. Together they raised seven sons and a daughter.

For the next 21 years, Sir Ian was assigned positions of responsibility around the Fiji Islands, first as a district officer for the provinces of Lau, Lomaiviti and Kadavu, then as a district officer for the Northern Division of Fiji. His fellow district officer in the Northern Division was his life-long friend Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, later to be the first president of Fiji.
Sir Ian served as the commissioner of the Western Division of Fiji in the early sixties.