Geologists at war, 1914-1918 - Revision history

Anrr at 09:13, 30 September 2020

2020-09-30T09:13:52Z

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	== Design of aircraft compasses ==		== Design of aircraft compasses ==
	[[File:P810111.jpg\|thumb\|150px\|H H Thomas c.1912. © BGS/NERC (Image: P810111)]]		[[File:P810111.jpg\|thumb\|150px\|H H Thomas c.1912. © BGS/NERC (Image: P810111)]]
	In September 1916 the Geological Survey was contacted by the Admiralty Compass Department asking for assistance with the design of aircraft compasses. The problem was with the compass point and cup which were part of the bearing that allowed the compass needle to move. [[Herbert Henry Thomas\|Herbert H Thomas]], a petrographer at the Survey, was given the task of finding a solution. The point and cup were both made out of sapphire, which caused the point to develop flaws and cracks. ~~The answer~~ was to still have the cup made out of sapphire but to use agate for the point.		In September 1916 the Geological Survey was contacted by the Admiralty Compass Department asking for assistance with the design of aircraft compasses. The problem was with the compass point and cup which were part of the bearing that allowed the compass needle to move. [[Herbert Henry Thomas\|Herbert H Thomas]], a petrographer at the Survey, was given the task of finding a solution. The point and cup were both made out of sapphire, which caused the point to develop flaws and cracks. It was decided to still have the cup made out of sapphire but to use agate for the point. This combination turned out to be successful and solved the problem.

	== Analysis of concrete ==		== Analysis of concrete ==

Anrr at 09:08, 30 September 2020

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	Almost as soon as war broke out the Survey was being asked to give advice on obtaining supplies of drinking water for military personnel. By 1915 there were water supply problems on the Western Front and [[William Bernard Robinson King B.A.(Cantab.) O.B.E.\|W B R King]] was sent to help deal with this, becoming what has been described as "the first British military hydrogeologist"<ref name="Rose, 2012">Rose, E. P. F. 2012. Groundwater as a military resource: pioneering British military well boring and hydrogeology in World War I. In: Military aspects of hydrogeology, edited by E. P. F. Rose & J. D. Mather. Geological Society Special Publication 362, 49–72.</ref>. At around the same time as King was helping the allied troops, [http://archives.bgs.ac.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=GSM%2fGX%2fCK&pos=1 Walther Klüpfel] was supplying water to the German troops.		Almost as soon as war broke out the Survey was being asked to give advice on obtaining supplies of drinking water for military personnel. By 1915 there were water supply problems on the Western Front and [[William Bernard Robinson King B.A.(Cantab.) O.B.E.\|W B R King]] was sent to help deal with this, becoming what has been described as "the first British military hydrogeologist"<ref name="Rose, 2012">Rose, E. P. F. 2012. Groundwater as a military resource: pioneering British military well boring and hydrogeology in World War I. In: Military aspects of hydrogeology, edited by E. P. F. Rose & J. D. Mather. Geological Society Special Publication 362, 49–72.</ref>. At around the same time as King was helping the allied troops, [http://archives.bgs.ac.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=GSM%2fGX%2fCK&pos=1 Walther Klüpfel] was supplying water to the German troops.

	During the Gallipoli campaign (1915~~-1916)~~ three former Survey staff, C H Cunnington, [[Roy Woodhouse Pocock\|R W Pocock]] and [[Talbot Haes Whitehead\|T H Whitehead]], were sent there on special military duty to try to find an adequate water supply for the troops. They produced an unpublished, and now untraceable, report on the geology of the Gallipoli peninsula for the War Office.<ref name="Doyle & Bennett, 1999">Doyle, P & Bennett, M R 1999. "Military Geography: the influence of terrain in the outcome of the Gallipoli Campaign, 1915". Geographical Journal, 165, p12-35</ref>		During the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 three former Survey staff, C H Cunnington, [[Roy Woodhouse Pocock\|R W Pocock]] and [[Talbot Haes Whitehead\|T H Whitehead]], were sent there on special military duty to try to find an adequate water supply for the troops. They produced an unpublished, and now untraceable, report on the geology of the Gallipoli peninsula for the War Office.<ref name="Doyle & Bennett, 1999">Doyle, P & Bennett, M R 1999. "Military Geography: the influence of terrain in the outcome of the Gallipoli Campaign, 1915". Geographical Journal, 165, p12-35</ref>

	== Design of aircraft compasses ==		== Design of aircraft compasses ==

Anrr at 09:05, 30 September 2020

2020-09-30T09:05:50Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:05, 30 September 2020
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	Almost as soon as war broke out the Survey was being asked to give advice on obtaining supplies of drinking water for military personnel. By 1915 there were water supply problems on the Western Front and [[William Bernard Robinson King B.A.(Cantab.) O.B.E.\|W B R King]] was sent to help deal with this, becoming what has been described as "the first British military hydrogeologist"<ref name="Rose, 2012">Rose, E. P. F. 2012. Groundwater as a military resource: pioneering British military well boring and hydrogeology in World War I. In: Military aspects of hydrogeology, edited by E. P. F. Rose & J. D. Mather. Geological Society Special Publication 362, 49–72.</ref>. At around the same time as King was helping the allied troops, [http://archives.bgs.ac.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=GSM%2fGX%2fCK&pos=1 Walther Klüpfel] was supplying water to the German troops.		Almost as soon as war broke out the Survey was being asked to give advice on obtaining supplies of drinking water for military personnel. By 1915 there were water supply problems on the Western Front and [[William Bernard Robinson King B.A.(Cantab.) O.B.E.\|W B R King]] was sent to help deal with this, becoming what has been described as "the first British military hydrogeologist"<ref name="Rose, 2012">Rose, E. P. F. 2012. Groundwater as a military resource: pioneering British military well boring and hydrogeology in World War I. In: Military aspects of hydrogeology, edited by E. P. F. Rose & J. D. Mather. Geological Society Special Publication 362, 49–72.</ref>. At around the same time as King was helping the allied troops, [http://archives.bgs.ac.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=GSM%2fGX%2fCK&pos=1 Walther Klüpfel] was supplying water to the German troops.

	During the Gallipoli campaign (1915-1916) three former Survey staff, C H Cunnington, [[Roy Woodhouse Pocock\|R W Pocock]] and [[Talbot Haes Whitehead\|T H Whitehead]], were sent there on special military duty to try to find an adequate water supply for the troops. They produced an unpublished, and now untraceable, report on the geology of the Gallipoli peninsula for the War Office.		During the Gallipoli campaign (1915-1916) three former Survey staff, C H Cunnington, [[Roy Woodhouse Pocock\|R W Pocock]] and [[Talbot Haes Whitehead\|T H Whitehead]], were sent there on special military duty to try to find an adequate water supply for the troops. They produced an unpublished, and now untraceable, report on the geology of the Gallipoli peninsula for the War Office.<ref name="Doyle & Bennett, 1999">Doyle, P & Bennett, M R 1999. "Military Geography: the influence of terrain in the outcome of the Gallipoli Campaign, 1915". Geographical Journal, 165, p12-35</ref>

	== Design of aircraft compasses ==		== Design of aircraft compasses ==

Anrr at 08:56, 30 September 2020

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	==Museum damaged by bomb==		==Museum damaged by bomb==
			[[File:J_A_Howe.jpg\|thumb\|150px\|J Allen Howe c.1912. © BGS/NERC (Enlargement from image: P008712)]]
	[[File:P640471.jpg\|thumb\|150px\|Main floor of museum. Scaffolding in place to support the roof whilst repairs to the cracked beams are investigated. © BGS/NERC (Image: P640471)]]		[[File:P640471.jpg\|thumb\|150px\|Main floor of museum. Scaffolding in place to support the roof whilst repairs to the cracked beams are investigated. © BGS/NERC (Image: P640471)]]
	[[John Allan Howe\|J Allen Howe]] was the Curator and Librarian of the Museum of Practical Geology. In a memo book he wrote a few war-related entries, for example "Aug 1914 - War". Slightly more detailed was "20 Oct 1917. Museum damaged by concussion from bomb dropped from a Zeppelin outside Swan & Edgars in [Piccadilly] Circus"<ref>Notebook of memoranda kept by J Howe (BGS Archives: GSM/MG/P/6)</ref>. This explosion may have caused several roof beams in the museum to fracture but this was not discovered until later.		[[John Allan Howe\|J Allen Howe]] was the Curator and Librarian of the Museum of Practical Geology. In a memo book he wrote a few war-related entries, for example "Aug 1914 - War". Slightly more detailed was "20 Oct 1917. Museum damaged by concussion from bomb dropped from a Zeppelin outside Swan & Edgars in [Piccadilly] Circus"<ref>Notebook of memoranda kept by J Howe (BGS Archives: GSM/MG/P/6)</ref>. This explosion may have caused several roof beams in the museum to fracture but this was not discovered until later.

Anrr: /* Other wartime activities */

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Other wartime activities

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	* Report on use of hexahedric crystals of iron pyrites by the Germans		* Report on use of hexahedric crystals of iron pyrites by the Germans
	* Consultations on the construction of seismographs for locating [~~https://en~~.~~wikipedia.org/wiki/Camouflet camouflets~~]		* Consultations on the construction of seismographs for locating camouflets [an underground explosion that does not break the surface, but leaves an enclosed cavity of gas and smoke.]
	* Reports on selection of quartz crystals for Anti-Submarine Division of the Admiralty		* Reports on selection of quartz crystals for Anti-Submarine Division of the Admiralty
	* Consultations on sites for aerodromes		* Consultations on sites for aerodromes

Anrr: /* Other wartime activities */

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Other wartime activities

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	* Report on the cause of sores on the hands of tunnellers at the Western Front		* Report on the cause of sores on the hands of tunnellers at the Western Front
	* Report on suitable valleys for airship sheds		* Report on suitable valleys for airship sheds


	==Further reading==		==Further reading==

Anrr at 12:38, 28 September 2020

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	== Other wartime activities ==		== Other wartime activities ==
	In the Survey's [http://pubs.bgs.ac.uk/publications.html?pubID=B00104#f=true&v=d&z=3&n=5&i=B00104_0005.jp2&y=836&x=450 Summary of Progress for 1918] Aubrey Strahan listed many of the activities that the Survey had carried out during the war. In many cases no other details of these activities have survived.		In the Survey's [http://pubs.bgs.ac.uk/publications.html?pubID=B00104#f=true&v=d&z=3&n=5&i=B00104_0005.jp2&y=836&x=450 Summary of Progress for 1918] Aubrey Strahan listed many of the activities that the Survey had carried out during the war. In many cases no other details of these activities have survived. A few of these were:

			* Report on use of hexahedric crystals of iron pyrites by the Germans
			* Consultations on the construction of seismographs for locating [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camouflet camouflets]
			* Reports on selection of quartz crystals for Anti-Submarine Division of the Admiralty
			* Consultations on sites for aerodromes
			* Report on the cause of sores on the hands of tunnellers at the Western Front
			* Report on suitable valleys for airship sheds


	==Further reading==		==Further reading==

Anrr at 11:01, 28 September 2020

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	==Choice of stone for war graves==		==Choice of stone for war graves==
	It was decided that the over 700,000 British soldiers that were killed during the war should be buried close to where they died rather than being returned home. The Imperial War Graves Commission contacted the Geological Survey in early 1918 enquiring about the suitability of "Lunel Clair" stone for making headstones. J Allen Howe carried out some investigations and concluded that the stone would be suitable and there would be enough of it if "Lunel rosé" stone was used as well. In the end it was decided to use Portland Stone for the majority of the headstones but advice on other types of stone was still requested from the Survey for several years after the end of the war.		It was decided that the over 700,000 British soldiers that were killed during the war should be buried close to where they died rather than being returned home. The Imperial War Graves Commission contacted the Geological Survey in early 1918 enquiring about the suitability of "Lunel Clair" stone for making headstones. J Allen Howe carried out some investigations and concluded that the stone would be suitable and there would be enough of it if "Lunel rosé" stone was used as well. In the end it was decided to use Portland Stone for the majority of the headstones but advice on other types of stone was still requested from the Survey for several years after the end of the war.

			== Other wartime activities ==
			In the Survey's [http://pubs.bgs.ac.uk/publications.html?pubID=B00104#f=true&v=d&z=3&n=5&i=B00104_0005.jp2&y=836&x=450 Summary of Progress for 1918] Aubrey Strahan listed many of the activities that the Survey had carried out during the war. In many cases no other details of these activities have survived.

	==Further reading==		==Further reading==

Anrr: /* Design of aircraft compasses */

2020-09-28T10:34:27Z

Design of aircraft compasses

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	== Design of aircraft compasses ==		== Design of aircraft compasses ==
			[[File:P810111.jpg\|thumb\|150px\|H H Thomas c.1912. © BGS/NERC (Image: P810111)]]
	In September 1916 the Geological Survey was contacted by the Admiralty Compass Department asking for assistance with the design of aircraft compasses. The problem was with the compass point and cup which were part of the bearing that allowed the compass needle to move. [[Herbert Henry Thomas\|Herbert H Thomas]], a petrographer at the Survey, was given the task of finding a solution. The point and cup were both made out of sapphire, which caused the point to develop flaws and cracks. The answer was to still have the cup made out of sapphire but to use agate for the point.		In September 1916 the Geological Survey was contacted by the Admiralty Compass Department asking for assistance with the design of aircraft compasses. The problem was with the compass point and cup which were part of the bearing that allowed the compass needle to move. [[Herbert Henry Thomas\|Herbert H Thomas]], a petrographer at the Survey, was given the task of finding a solution. The point and cup were both made out of sapphire, which caused the point to develop flaws and cracks. The answer was to still have the cup made out of sapphire but to use agate for the point.
	~~[[File:P810111.jpg\|thumb\|150px\|H H Thomas c.1912. © BGS/NERC (Image: P810111)]]~~

	== Analysis of concrete ==		== Analysis of concrete ==

Anrr at 10:32, 28 September 2020

2020-09-28T10:32:05Z

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	== Design of aircraft compasses ==		== Design of aircraft compasses ==
	In September 1916 the Geological Survey was contacted by the Admiralty Compass Department asking for assistance with the design of aircraft compasses. The problem was with the compass point and cup which were part of the bearing that allowed the compass needle to move. [[Herbert Henry Thomas\|Herbert H Thomas]], a petrographer at the Survey, was given the task of finding a solution. The point and cup were both made out of sapphire, which caused the point to develop flaws and cracks. The answer was to still have the cup made out of sapphire but to use agate for the point.		In September 1916 the Geological Survey was contacted by the Admiralty Compass Department asking for assistance with the design of aircraft compasses. The problem was with the compass point and cup which were part of the bearing that allowed the compass needle to move. [[Herbert Henry Thomas\|Herbert H Thomas]], a petrographer at the Survey, was given the task of finding a solution. The point and cup were both made out of sapphire, which caused the point to develop flaws and cracks. The answer was to still have the cup made out of sapphire but to use agate for the point.
	File:P810111.jpg		[[File:P810111.jpg\|thumb\|150px\|H H Thomas c.1912. © BGS/NERC (Image: P810111)]]

	== Analysis of concrete ==		== Analysis of concrete ==