Lechmere Thomas

Lechmere Thomas CB CBE DSO MC
Lechmere in 1927
Birth name	Lechmere Cay Thomas
Born	(1897-10-20)20 October 1897 Guildford, Surrey, England
Died	9 May 1981(1981-05-09) (aged 83) Saint Peter, Jersey
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1915–1948
Rank	Major-General
Unit	East Surrey Regiment Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
Commands held	2nd Battalion, King's African Rifles 9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers 1st Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment 88th Indian Infantry Brigade 36th Indian Infantry Brigade
Battles/wars	World War I Iraqi revolt against the British World War II
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order and Bar, Military Cross and Bar, Mentioned in dispatches

Major-General Lechmere Cay Thomas CB CBE DSO MC (20 October 1897–9 May 1981) was a senior British Army officer who fought in both World War I and World War II.

Thomas was the son of Kempson Thomas and he was educated at Cranleigh School. In 1915 he was mobilized as a member of the Territorial Force, serving in the East Surrey Regiment in France and Belgium. On 29 November 1915 he received a temporary commission in his regiment. On 12 March 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry for leading a successful raid on German lines. He was awarded a Bar to his MC in February 1918. Following the end of the First World War, Thomas served in the war in Iraq, during which he was wounded, and on 2 March 1921 he received a permanent commission in the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. Between 1925 and 1927 he served with the King's African Rifles (KAR), before being seconded to the Sudan Defence Force until 1929. Thomas then returned to the KAR as adjutant, and was Commanding Officer of 2nd Battalion, KAR from 1934 to 1939. In January 1939 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

During the Second World War, Thomas saw active service in France, Malaya and Burma. He was Commanding Officer of the 9th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers from 1940 to 1942. On 22 October 1940 he awarded the Distinguished Service Order. In 1942 Thomas commanded 1st Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment and from September 1942 to April 1943 he was in command of the 88th Indian Infantry Brigade in the Burma Campaign. Between 1943 and 1945 he commanded the 36th Indian Infantry Brigade. In 1945 he was awarded a CBE and a Bar to his DSO, ending the war as a colonel.