Arthur Douglas Merriman
Encyclopedia
Dr Arthur Douglas Merriman GC
, DFC
, OBE
, MA, MEd
, DSc
, CIMechE, FRSE
(25 November 1892–1972) was a government scientist with the Ministry of Supply
, an officer of the Royal Engineers
and a recipient of the George Cross
.
, before becoming Secretary of the Faculty of Architects and Surveyors, in March 1938. They later awarded him an honorary fellow
ship, shortly before the events for which he was awarded the George Cross.
In 1940 the Luftwaffe
were continually bombing London as part of The Blitz
. Merriman was a government scientist at the time, whose work included positions connected with the provision of air-raid shelter
s. When a bomb dropped on Regent Street
on 11 September 1940, Merriman proceeded to remove most of the explosive from the bomb. When it did detonate, it caused minimal damage and for his actions he was awarded the George Cross on 3 December 1940. The George Cross is the highest award for bravery that can be awarded to civilians in the United Kingdom
.
On 1 January 1941 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant
and given the acting rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. His substantive rank was increased to Lieutenant
with effect 1 January 1942, and later to Major. On 6 January 1944 he was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) (OBE) for "gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East". He was Scientific Adviser to the Commander-in-Chief Middle East.
In 1946 he became Registrar-Secretary of the Institution of Metallurgists, a post he held until 1957. On 12 December 1955 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
for the County of London
. In 1967 he became Master of the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers
. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Surrey
in 1969. He died in 1972.
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George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, MA, MEd
MED
-Medicine:* Medicine * Medication, often used in the plural "meds"* Title of Medic, the first Physician degree in Argentina* Medical Extrication Device, a device for extricating an injured patient from an accident site, such as the Kendrick Extrication Device* Minimal Erythemal Dose, the minimum...
, DSc
DSC
-in academia:* D.Sc., Doctor of Science* Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine* Dalton State College, Georgia* Daytona State College, Florida* Deep Springs College, California* Dixie State College of Utah...
, CIMechE, FRSE
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
(25 November 1892–1972) was a government scientist with the Ministry of Supply
Ministry of Supply
The Ministry of Supply was a department of the UK Government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. There was, however, a separate ministry responsible for aircraft production and the Admiralty retained...
, an officer of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
and a recipient of the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
.
Biography
Merriman was born in Lancashire. In the 1930s he was a teacher in WallsendWallsend
Wallsend is an area in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Wallsend derives its name as the location of the end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 42,842.-Romans:...
, before becoming Secretary of the Faculty of Architects and Surveyors, in March 1938. They later awarded him an honorary fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
ship, shortly before the events for which he was awarded the George Cross.
In 1940 the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
were continually bombing London as part of The Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
. Merriman was a government scientist at the time, whose work included positions connected with the provision of air-raid shelter
Air-raid shelter
Air-raid shelters, also known as bomb shelters, are structures for the protection of the civil population as well as military personnel against enemy attacks from the air...
s. When a bomb dropped on Regent Street
Regent Street
Regent Street is one of the major shopping streets in London's West End, well known to tourists and Londoners alike, and famous for its Christmas illuminations...
on 11 September 1940, Merriman proceeded to remove most of the explosive from the bomb. When it did detonate, it caused minimal damage and for his actions he was awarded the George Cross on 3 December 1940. The George Cross is the highest award for bravery that can be awarded to civilians in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
On 1 January 1941 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
and given the acting rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. His substantive rank was increased to Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
with effect 1 January 1942, and later to Major. On 6 January 1944 he was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) (OBE) for "gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East". He was Scientific Adviser to the Commander-in-Chief Middle East.
In 1946 he became Registrar-Secretary of the Institution of Metallurgists, a post he held until 1957. On 12 December 1955 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for the County of London
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
. In 1967 he became Master of the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers
Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers
The Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers alias Wire Workers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. Tin craftsmen were originally part of the Ironmongers' Company, while the wire workers, who made wire objects such as cages, animal traps and fishhooks, were part of the Girdlers'...
. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Surrey
University of Surrey
The University of Surrey is a university located within the county town of Guildford, Surrey in the South East of England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was previously situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology...
in 1969. He died in 1972.
George Cross citation
The citation in the London GazetteLondon Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
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