Admiral Sir William Richard Scott Thomas, KCB, KCVO, OBE (22 March 1932 – 13 December 1998) was a senior Royal Navy officer and the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod (or simply Black Rod) in the British Parliament's House of Lords from January 1992 to 8 May 1995.
[2] Promoted to captain, he took part in Polaris development at the Ministry of Defence before being given command of the assault ship HMS Fearless.
[2] Promoted to vice admiral, he became Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic at Norfolk, Virginia, in 1987 and the UK Military Representative to NATO from 1989 to 1992, when he retired from the Royal Navy.
[2] Amongst other honours, he was awarded a papal knighthood in the Order of Pope Pius IX.
[2] Thomas was born on 22 March 1932 in Rhyl, Wales, the son of Mary Hilda Bertha "Maimie" (née Hemelryk) and Commander William Scott Thomas (who commanded HMS Impulsive during the Second World War) and brother of Lieutenant Commander Simon Scott Thomas.