Cowley Thomas
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Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
Hove, Sussex, England
Cowley Thomas | |
|---|---|
 Cowley Thomas (right) with Commodore Mulhall, RNR, Commodore of the first convoy of Coasters to arrive at Antwerp | |
| Birth name | William Cowley Thomas |
| Born | 27 June 1900 Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales |
| Died | 4 September 1977 (aged 77) Hove, Sussex, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1917–1934, 1938–1945 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands | |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards |
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| Relations | Anthony St Ledger (father-in-law) |
Cowley Thomas, CBE (27 June 1900 - September 1977) was a captain in the Royal Navy who served in Great War and World War II. Between the wars he served in the Royal Navy Submarine Service. He retired in 1934, but was recalled to active duty in 1938. During the Second World War he served as the Naval Officer in Charge of Tripoli, Bizerta, Taranto, Port-en-Bessin and Antwerp.
William Cowley Thomas was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, on 27 June 1900, the son of Henry John Thomas, a stockbroker. He joined the Royal Navy s a midshipman on 1 May 1917, and served on the battleship HMS Royal Oak during the Great War.[1]
Between the wars
Thomas was promoted to acting sub-lieutenant on 15 January 1919. This became substantive on 15 September 1919. He was then promoted to acting lieutenant on 15 August 1921. After training on the yacht HMS Triad, he joined the Royal Navy Submarine Service. He served in the Mediterranean as an officer on the submarine HMS L69 from September 1924 until May 1926. He then joined the cruiser HMS Dartmouth. On 24 May 1928, he returned to submarines as an officer on the submarine HMS L54. He assumed command of the submarine HMS H31 on 24 May 1929. He was promoted to lieutenant commander on 15 August 1929, and served on the cruiser HMS London in the Mediterranean from 21 April 1930 until 16 August 1931.[1][2]
On 31 December, he assumed command of the submarine HMS L21. He married Patricia Hamilton on 16 November 1931, and officially changed his name to just "Cowley Thomas". On 27 January 1933 he joined the submarine depot ship HMS Medway on the China station. Then, on 4 May 1933, he assumed command of the submarine HMS Odin. He retired at his own request on 25 May 1934.[1][2]
