Bertram Thomas

Bertram Sidney Thomas (1892-1950) was a British civil servant, explorer and writer. He is best known for being the first European to cross the Rub' al Khali desert (the Empty Quarter) in 1930-1931.

Thomas was born in Pill, Somerset, England, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. He joined the British Colonial Office and served in various administrative posts in the Middle East, including Transjordan and Muscat and Oman. He became the Finance Minister and Wazir to the Sultan of Muscat and Oman in 1925, a position he held until 1932.

Driven by a desire to explore and map the uncharted Rub' al Khali, Thomas meticulously planned and executed his expedition. He assembled a caravan of Bedouin guides and camels and departed from Salalah, Oman, in December 1930, reaching Doha, Qatar, in February 1931. The journey was arduous, fraught with challenges posed by the harsh desert environment, tribal rivalries, and limited resources.

Thomas documented his experiences in his book, Arabia Felix: Across the Empty Quarter of Arabia (1932), which became a bestseller and cemented his reputation as a significant explorer of the Arabian Peninsula. His detailed observations of the desert environment, Bedouin culture, and previously unknown flora and fauna contributed significantly to the geographic and anthropological knowledge of the region.

After leaving Oman, Thomas continued his career in public service, including serving in the British government during World War II. He died in Cairo, Egypt, in 1950. His legacy endures through his exploration and his contributions to our understanding of the Arabian Peninsula.