Geologists at war, 1914-1918
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Introduction
This article look at some of the contributions made by the Geological Survey of Great Britain to the United Kingdom's war effort during the period 1914-1918.
Before the war
In 1913 the 12th International Geological Congress was held in Toronto. The attendees included representatives from Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, France, Belgium, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. One of the British Geologists was Aubrey Strahan who was soon to become the Director of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. Neither Strahan nor the other attendees could have know that in a year's time the First World War would break out and that the Geological Survey would play its part in the war effort.
Joining up
The Survey's Summary of Progress for 1918 published this list of staff who were accepted for military or other duty with the Forces during World War I. They totalled 29 staff, consisting of 14 geologists, 3 fossil collectors, 2 general assistants, 3 attendants, 4 draughtsmen, 2 labourers and 1 assistant clerk. Although several were wounded all but one (C H Cunnington) survived the war.
| Geologists | |||
| Dixon, E. E. L. | Lieutenant | Royal Garrison Artillery (T.) | |
| Bailey, E. B. | Lieutenant | Royal Garrison Artillery | Mentioned in despatches. Military Cross. Chevalier Legion of Honour. Croix-de-Guerre with Palm. Twice wounded. |
| Anderson, E. M. | Sapper | Royal Engineers | Wounded. |
| Carruthers, R. G. | Lance-corporal | Tank Corps | — |
| Bromehead, C. E. N. | Private | Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry | Wounded. |
| Cunnington, C. H. | Lieutenant | Machine Gun Corps | Invalided out of Army, Oct. 1917. Died 26 April, 1918. |
| Richey, J. E. | Captain | Royal Engineers | Military Cross. Wounded. |
| Eastwood, T. | Lance-corporal | Royal Army Medical Corps (Sanitary Section) | — |
| Pocock, R. W. | Lieutenant | Royal Garrison Artillery | — |
| King, W. B. R. | Captain | Royal Welsh Fusiliers (attached to Engineer-in-Chief, G.H.Q.) | Mentioned in despatches. O.B.E. |
| Wray, D. A. | Lance-corporal | Royal Army Medical Corps (Sanitary Section) | — |
| Read, H. H. | Corporal | Royal Fusiliers | — |
| Whitehead, T. H. | Captain | Suffolk Regiment (transferred to General List and attached to Intelligence Corps) | Wounded. |
| Evans, R. du B. | Captain | Shropshire Light Infantry | Wounded. Prisonerof War |
| Assistant Clerk | |||
| Frisby, P. A. | Captain | Suffolk Yeomanry | — |
| Fossil Collectors | |||
| Eckford, R. J. A. | Corporal | Royal Scots and Royal Engineers (Special Brigade) | Wounded. |
| Manson, W. | Deck Hand | Royal Naval Reserve (T.) | — |
| Haldane, D. | Lieutenant | Royal Scots | — |
| General Assistants | |||
| Rhodes, J. | Corporal | Royal Air Force | — |
| Stewart, A. P. | Private | Royal Scots | — |
| Attendants | |||
| Morgan, S.W. | Reg. Qrtr.- Mstr. Sgt. | London Regiment (London Irish Rifles) | — |
| Cooper, G. L. | Corporal | Royal Engineers (Carrier Pigeon Service) | — |
| Hepple, D. W. | Private | 18th Hussars | Wounded. Prisoner of War. |
| Draughtsmen | |||
| Torkington, G. G. | Private | Cameron Highlanders | Wounded. |
| Bruce, W. G. | Lance-Corporal | Royal Engineers (Field Survey Battn.) | ‑ |
| Trowbridge, H. G. S. | Bombardier | Royal Field Artillery | — |
| Kidd, J. | Corporal | Royal Engineers | — |
| Labourers | |||
| Wheaton, E. | Sergeant | 3rd Hussars | — |
| Brooker, J. F. | Corporal | King's Own Scottish Borderers | — |
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 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.