Will Thomas MM (1919-2011)
an unassuming hero
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Will Thomas MM served his country with gallantry and later excelled on the rugby field.
As a corporal in the South Wales Borderers, Will took part in the largest seaborne invasion in history: D-Day.
Early on the morning of 6 June 1944 Will waded ashore at Arromanches as a member of the only Welsh battalion to participate in the very first day of the Normandy landings. The bloody battle to get off the beach and gain a foothold in Nazi occupied Europe raged all day and night.
On the following day, 7 June, under heavy fire and ‘with outstanding bravery and skill', he led his section against enemy positions near Bayeux and personally killed several of the enemy.
The following day, at Sully, he took over as Acting Sergeant and, although twice wounded, he again led an attack on heavily defended positions, single-handedly capturing a major machine gun emplacement that was holding up the Allied advance. Will eliminated all those manning the emplacement - battle-hardened and fearlessly fanatical members of the 12th Waffen SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth).
For his gallantry Will was personally decorated in the field with the Military Medal by Field Marshall Sir Bernard Montgomery.
After the war Will was highly regarded as a hooker for Aberavon and Maesteg rugby clubs. He captained Aberavon RFC in 1947-48 and went on to play in the celebrated ‘Invincible’ season for Maesteg RFC 1949-50.
Will Thomas was fiercely loyal: to his country, comrades, colleagues, team mates, his many friends, and of course his family.
Respected and well liked, he cut a popular figure in our town. Yet Will never aspired to walk with kings. He had great fun: he enjoyed his life, and his geniality was an endearing trademark. A warm yet wicked smile was never far from a beaming face. Beer, he would proclaim, was his lifeblood: he enjoyed his pint and he was in his element in social gatherings of like-minded people in Port Talbot.
As a corporal in the South Wales Borderers, Will took part in the largest seaborne invasion in history: D-Day.
Early on the morning of 6 June 1944 Will waded ashore at Arromanches as a member of the only Welsh battalion to participate in the very first day of the Normandy landings. The bloody battle to get off the beach and gain a foothold in Nazi occupied Europe raged all day and night.
On the following day, 7 June, under heavy fire and ‘with outstanding bravery and skill', he led his section against enemy positions near Bayeux and personally killed several of the enemy.
The following day, at Sully, he took over as Acting Sergeant and, although twice wounded, he again led an attack on heavily defended positions, single-handedly capturing a major machine gun emplacement that was holding up the Allied advance. Will eliminated all those manning the emplacement - battle-hardened and fearlessly fanatical members of the 12th Waffen SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth).
For his gallantry Will was personally decorated in the field with the Military Medal by Field Marshall Sir Bernard Montgomery.
After the war Will was highly regarded as a hooker for Aberavon and Maesteg rugby clubs. He captained Aberavon RFC in 1947-48 and went on to play in the celebrated ‘Invincible’ season for Maesteg RFC 1949-50.
Will Thomas was fiercely loyal: to his country, comrades, colleagues, team mates, his many friends, and of course his family.
Respected and well liked, he cut a popular figure in our town. Yet Will never aspired to walk with kings. He had great fun: he enjoyed his life, and his geniality was an endearing trademark. A warm yet wicked smile was never far from a beaming face. Beer, he would proclaim, was his lifeblood: he enjoyed his pint and he was in his element in social gatherings of like-minded people in Port Talbot.