Thomas, Bertram Sydney (1892–1950)

British explorer and orientalist. In the winter of 1930–31 he crossed the Rub' al Khālī, the great desert of southern Arabia, with a camel caravan; a great feat of endurance. In 1927–28 he made a 970 km/600 mi journey through the southern borderlands from the southeastern toe of Arabia to Dhofar (now in Oman). In 1929–30 he explored 320 km/198 mi to the north of Dhofar, right to the edge of the sands. He published Alarms and Excursions in Arabia (1931), and Arabia Infelix (1932).