Richard Thomas (Royal Navy officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Admiral
Sir Richard Thomas
|
|
|---|---|
| Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod | |
| In office January 1992 – 8 May 1995 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Sir John Gingell |
| Succeeded by | Sir Edward Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Richard Scott Thomas
22 March 1932 Rhyl, Wales |
| Died | 13 December 1998 (aged 66) |
| Spouse | Paddy Cullinan |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1951–1992 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | Second Flotilla HMS Fearless HMS Troubridge |
| Battles/wars | Cod Wars |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
Admiral Sir William Richard Scott Thomas (born March 22, 1932 – died December 13, 1998) was an important officer in the Royal Navy, which is the United Kingdom's navy. After a long career at sea, he took on a special role in the British Parliament. From 1992 to 1995, he served as the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, often just called Black Rod. This is a very old and important job in the House of Lords, one of the two parts of the British Parliament.
Contents
Sir Richard Thomas started his journey in the Royal Navy in 1951. He had gone to Downside School before joining up. His career involved commanding different ships and taking on big leadership roles.
Commanding Ships
In 1966, he was given command of a destroyer ship called HMS Troubridge. Destroyers are fast warships designed to protect larger ships. Later, he commanded HMS Fearless, an assault ship used to carry troops and equipment for landings.
Sir Richard Thomas held many key positions during his time in the navy. He worked as a Staff Officer for operations in Scotland and Northern Ireland. He was involved in the Cod Wars in 1972. These were disputes between Britain and Iceland over fishing rights.
He also worked on the development of the UGM-27 Polaris system. This involved submarine-launched missiles, an important part of defense. He became the Director of Seaman Officers' Appointments in 1982. This meant he helped decide where naval officers would be assigned.
High-Level Leadership
As he rose through the ranks, Sir Richard Thomas took on even bigger jobs. He became the Naval Secretary in 1983. In 1985, he was made Flag Officer, Second Flotilla. This meant he was in charge of a group of naval ships.
He was promoted to vice admiral and served internationally. From 1987, he was the Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic. This was a very senior role in NATO, a military alliance of many countries. He then became the UK Military Representative to NATO from 1989 until 1992, when he retired from the Royal Navy.
After leaving the Royal Navy, Sir Richard Thomas took on the role of Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. This job involves ceremonial duties in the House of Lords. He was responsible for keeping order and leading important events, like the State Opening of Parliament. He also received a special honor from the Pope, a knighthood in the Order of Pius IX.
His Family Life
Sir Richard Thomas was born in Rhyl, Wales, on March 22, 1932. His father, William Scott Thomas, was also a naval officer. In 1959, Sir Richard married Paddy Cullinan, and they had eight children together. He was also the uncle of famous actresses Kristin Scott Thomas and Serena Scott Thomas.
