Brigadier-General Sir Godfrey Vignoles Thomas, 9th Baronet, CB, CBE, DSO, DL (27 March 1856 – 17 February 1919) was a British Army officer of the First World War.
Sir Godfrey Thomas, Bt. | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 March 1856 Hafod, Cardigan |
| Died | 17 February 1919 (aged 62) |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1875-1919 |
| Rank | Brigadier-General |
| Unit | Royal Artillery |
| Commands | No. 2 Reserve Brigade RFA |
| Battles / wars | Second Anglo-Afghan War Anglo-Egyptian War Second Anglo-Boer War First World War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Dispatches |
Early life
editThomas was the son of Sir Godfrey John Thomas, 8th Baronet and Emily Chambers. On 13 July 1861, he succeeded to his father's baronetcy.
Military career
editHe was educated at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1875.[1] He served in the Second Anglo-Afghan War from 1878 to 1880, and in the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1884. He was promoted to Major in 1892.[2] Thomas was promoted to Colonel in 1899 and fought in the Second Anglo-Boer War between 1899 and 1901, during which he was twice mentioned in dispatches. In 1901 he was made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order,[3] and a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1904.[4] Between March 1909, when he was promoted to temporary brigadier general,[5] and 1911 he was commander, Royal Artillery (CRA) of the 3rd Division, before serving in the same position with the 24th Division between 1914 and 1915, after the First World War began.
He fought in the First World War in France, and was invested as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1916[verification needed]. From 1916 to 1917 Thomas was Brigadier-General of the No. 2 Reserve Brigade RFA (Territorial Forces).
Personal life
editHe married Mary Frances Isabelle Oppenheim, daughter of Charles Augustus Oppenheim and Isabelle Frith, on 30 April 1887. Following his early death in 1919, he was succeeded in his title by his son, Godfrey, who served as a courtier to the Royal Family.
He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Essex on 1 May 1912.[6] In the 1919 Birthday Honours, he was posthumously awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, "for valuable services rendered in connection with the War."[7]
He died of influenza on 17 February 1919, and was buried at St Mary & St Hugh, Old Harlow.[8]
References
edit- ^ "No. 24243". The London Gazette. 7 September 1875. p. 4410.
- ^ "No. 26265". The London Gazette. 8 March 1892. p. 1350.
- ^ "No. 27306". The London Gazette. 19 April 1901. p. 2700.
- ^ "No. 27688". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 June 1904. p. 4008.
- ^ "No. 28236". The London Gazette. 26 March 1909. p. 2349.
- ^ "No. 28605". The London Gazette. 7 May 1912. p. 3284.
- ^ "No. 13457". The Edinburgh Gazette. 5 June 1919. p. 1999.
- ^ "Casualty Details: Sir Godfrey Vignoles Thomas". CWGC. Retrieved 10 July 2017.