Noel Thomas


Sir Noel Thomas KCB DSO MC was a Master-General of the Ordnance.

Military career

Thomas was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1936.
He served in World War II latterly as Commander Royal Engineers for the Guards Armoured Division in North West Europe.
He was appointed General Officer Commanding 42nd Division/District of the Territorial Army in 1963 and then became Director of Combat Development at the Ministry of Defence in 1965. He was appointed Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff in 1968 and Master-General of the Ordnance in 1971; in this capacity he was also a member of the Procurement Executive Organisation formed by Prime Minister Edward Heath that year. He retired in 1974.
He also served as Colonel of the Royal Pioneer Corps from 1968 to 1976.