Noyes Thomas, one of the News of the World’s great reporters, died on 29 May, aged 85.
"Tommy", as he was universally known, was one of the leading foreign correspondents of his time. During the Second World War he took a break from journalism, joined the Ghurkas, served in the Far East and ended up as a Lieutenant Colonel on the staff of Lord Mountbatten.
After the war, Thomas returned to the News of the World and travelled extensively, covering most of the great events of the time.
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Once asked how many countries he had visited, he thought for a moment before replying: "Most of them actually, except parts of Mongolia."
At home he became deeply involved in the story of Christine Keeler and the then War Minister, John Profumo.
Later he became political editor of the News of the World and broke the story of Harold Wilson’s secretary receiving a peerage – before the Downing Street press office caught a whiff of it.
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Thomas was a quiet and modest man, named after Alfred Noyes, the Welsh poet who was his uncle, but he never used the name Alfred.
He retired in 1974 to spend time with his family in Hampshire and in Spain, where he was cremated on Friday.
He is survived by two sons and a daughter. His ashes will be returned to Wales.
By Robert Warren
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