P. M. A. THOMAS
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ONE of the best-known engineers in road transport, Mr. Philip Merfyn Ashcroft Thomas, died unexpectedly on Monday, aged 65. Mr. Thomas had been technical editor of Motor Transport and Bus and Coach from 1946 until his retirement last January. He joined the staff in 1923.
An apprenticeship with Associated Equipment Co. Ltd. arid London General Omnibus Co. Ltd. (1916-1922) was split by service in the Queen Victoria Rifles and Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment in 1918 and 1919. In the last war he rejoined the Forces and, after distinguished service in France and the Middle East as a R.E.M.E. officer, became Deputy Assistant Director, Mechanical Engineering, Middle East Land Forces, with the rank of major.
Elected a Member of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers in 1945. he became a council member in 1947 and had served on the IRTE council since.
Alan Havard, editor of The Commercial Motor, writes: Tommy was one of those rare people of whom one could say, "be was a real gentleman ". I cannot imagine anyone having other than the highest possible regard for him. I count myself fortunate to have worked with him and to have been a friend. Apart from possessing an encyclopaedic knowledge of transport technical matters he was a fine journalist, highly respected here and on the Continent My colleagues and I will miss him; so will his many friends in the industry he served.