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Auction: 20001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - conducted behind closed doors
Lot: 641

An interesting C.B.E. group of three to Commander W. C. Thomas, Royal Navy, decorated for his role in planning Operations 'Husky' and 'Overlord' at the Admiralty

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.), 2nd type, Military Division, Commander's neck Badge converted for breast wear, with original riband; British War and Victory Medals (Mid. W. C. Thomas. R.N.), the C.B.E. with severe enamel loss, overall nearly very fine (3)

C.B.E. London Gazette 13 June 1946.

[O.B.E.] London Gazette 13 March 1945.

[Order of Leopold] London Gazette 12 March 1946.

William Cowley Thomas was born at Barry, Glamorgan on 27 June 1900, son of the stockbroker Henry John Thomas and Rosina Cowley. He entered the Royal Navy on 7 May 1917, serving as a Midshipman aboard H.M.S. Royal Oak, a Revenge-class battleship which had seen action at Jutland. He rose to Sub-Lieutenant on 15 September 1919, and Lieutenant on 15 August 1921. In January 1922 he transferred to H.M.S. Triad, a special service vessel, before joining the submarine L 69 in the Mediterranean on 2 September 1924. Appointed L 69's First Lieutenant on 25 March 1926, he became Commander of H 31, part of the 5th Submarine Flotilla based at Portsmouth (London Gazette, 29 April 1929). During the Second World War Thomas served as a retired Commander on the Admiralty Staff, specifically as Commander-in-Chief of the Medway ports. He was mentioned in dispatches for his role in planning Operation 'Husky', the Allied invasion of Sicily (London Gazette, 21 December 1943), and received an O.B.E. for his part in organising the D-Day landings. Post-war recognition included a further mention in dispatches (London Gazette 11 December 1945), elevation to C.B.E. and the Belgian Order of Leopold. Thomas married Mary Fedora Douglas-Watson (née St. Ledger), widow of Francis Douglas-Watson, R.N., at Alexandria on 10 September 1941. He retired to Malta, fathering no children, and died at Hove in Sussex on 4 September 1977; sold with the recipient's copied Naval Service Record.





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Sold for
£300

Starting price
£210