Geologists at war, 1939–1945: Difference between revisions
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== Introduction == | == Introduction == | ||
Like everybody else, geologists and their work were affected by the outbreak of World War II. This page shows some of these effects and the contributions made by geologists to the war effort. In addition to the subjects covered the Survey was involved in a wide range of activities such as advising the on the siting of military camps, aerodromes and storage depots (surface and underground), surveying for minerals in the UK, giving advice on where to get sand for sandbags and producing a series of wartime pamphlets. | [[File:Geologists at war 028.jpg|thumb|Geological Survey and Museum and London Regional Company of the Home Guard on parade and being inspected by Admiral Sir Edward Evans, 1941 [No ref] ]] | ||
Like everybody else, geologists and their work were affected by the outbreak of World War II. | |||
This page shows some of these effects and the contributions made by geologists to the war effort. In addition to the subjects covered the Survey was involved in a wide range of activities such as advising the on the siting of military camps, aerodromes and storage depots (surface and underground), surveying for minerals in the UK, giving advice on where to get sand for sandbags and producing a series of wartime pamphlets. | |||
== Preparing for war == | == Preparing for war == | ||
As the prospect of war grew more likely, arrangements were made for what would happen to the Geological Survey of Great Britain and its staff. | As the prospect of war grew more likely, arrangements were made for what would happen to the Geological Survey of Great Britain and its staff. |
Revision as of 15:55, 26 August 2020
Under construction
Introduction
Like everybody else, geologists and their work were affected by the outbreak of World War II. This page shows some of these effects and the contributions made by geologists to the war effort. In addition to the subjects covered the Survey was involved in a wide range of activities such as advising the on the siting of military camps, aerodromes and storage depots (surface and underground), surveying for minerals in the UK, giving advice on where to get sand for sandbags and producing a series of wartime pamphlets.
Preparing for war
As the prospect of war grew more likely, arrangements were made for what would happen to the Geological Survey of Great Britain and its staff.
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File: “Emergency War Measures – Disposal of Staff”, 1938-1943 [GSM/DC/W/13]
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Memorandum relating to preparations for the possible outbreak of war, 1938 [GSM/DC/W/13]
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Letter from E B Bailey to J Fox relating to the Survey’s chemical work in the event of war, 1939 [GSM/DC/W/13]
Home Guard
Like many others, members of the Geological Survey joined the Home Guard to defend Britain from possible invasion.
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Kingsley Dunham's Defence Medal [KCD/A/3/2/4]
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Kingsley Dunham’s Defence Medal [KCD/A/3/2/4]
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Citation that was with the medal [KCD/A/3/2/4]
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Citation that was with the medal [KCD/A/3/2/4]
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Standing operational orders written by Kingsley Dunham, 1944 [KCD/A/2/5/1]
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Home Guard instructions relating to enemy airborne troops, 1941 [KCD/A/2/5/3]
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Geological Survey and Museum and London Regional Company of the Home Guard. The photograph features Edward Bailey amongst others, 1944. [GSM/DR/Sb/7/5]
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The Company on parade and being inspected by Admiral Sir Edward Evans, 1941 [No ref]
Secret and confidential
Geologists from the Survey were involved in a variety of confidential and secret working during the war.
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Report on Norwegian Industries and Mineral Resources produced by MI10 (weapons and technical analysis) c1941 [no ref]
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Photographs from the report showing the Orkla and Eitrheim Works, Norway, c1941 [no ref]
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Page from the report relating to Pyrites, c1941 [no ref]
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File relating to desert dust-storms, 1941-1944 [GSM/DC/W/15]
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Notes on Eastern Mediterranean dust-storms, 1941 [GSM/DC/W/15]
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Geological Survey wartime pamphlet on water supply from underground sources in the East Yorkshire-North Lincolnshire District, 1944 [no ref]
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Letter from C F Davidson to F B A Welch relating to a request by Naval Intelligence for geological information on Greece, 1943 [GSM/DC/W/5]
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Welch’s reply to Davidson’s letter, 1943 [GSM/DC/W/5]
Bomb!
At 11:47pm on 10 September 1940 a German bomb damaged the Geological Museum at Exhibition Road, London. Edward Bailey in his book Geological Survey of Great Britain records that the bomb "broke half the windows" and a later near miss in 1941 "completed out [sic, probably meant our] deglazing."
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Shrapnel and other debris from the bomb, 1940 [2008.8] [P711015]
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Shrapnel from the bomb, 1940 [2008.8] [P711010]
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Page from a draft report of the Geological Survey Board which mentions the bomb damage. This was deleted from the final report. 1941 [GSM/BD/A/55]
The other side
The British were not alone in their use of geologists during the Second World War as these documents show.
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'Technical Notes and Tables for Military Geologists', 1944 [No ref]
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Pages from one of Walther Klüpfel's notebooks relating to the geology of Jersey, 1941 [GSM/GX/CK/1/3]
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'On the Geology of the Island of Alderney' by Dr Kluepfel [sic], c1941 [GSM/GX/CK/7/1]
Aftermath
Even as the war continued, plans were drawn up for what work the Survey would be doing once peace finally came.
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Post-War programme and staffing for the Geological Survey in Scotland, 1943 [GSM/DC/W/3]
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Outline programme of work for the Geological Survey and Museum in the post-war years, 1944 [GSM/DC/W/3]