He subsequently served with an operational squadron in Mesopotamia, Persia and south Russia, being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for aerial combat and low ground strafing.
[7] Soon, Thomas was in de facto charge of sales and purchasing at Morris Motors, where he came up with the idea of producing a magazine for owners and dealers, in order to bring about brand loyalty.
[6] In 1940, he was promoted to Vice-Chairman of Morris Motors, and was instrumental in the Nuffield Organization war contribution, including being Chairman of the Cruiser Tank Production Group, and a member of the Government's Advisory Committee.
[8][9] Thomas left Morris Motors in 1947 to take up a post as deputy Chairman at the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC),[6] where he introduced the de Havilland Comet, the world's first jet airliner.
In 1956 he resigned after a row with Harold Watkinson[3] then Minister of Transport and Thomas was elected as chairman of the board of Monsanto Chemical Ltd.[10] The company had just opened a new UK Head Office at Monsanto House (the name signs now covered over), 10-18 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0NB and had acquired a large chemical plant in Cefn Mawr, Thomas' birthplace.