Douglas Pask BSc,

AMIEE The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) was a British professional organisation of electronics, electrical, manufacturing, and information technology professionals, especially electrical engineers. It began in 1871 as the Society of Tel ...

, AMIMechE (1919-2008) served in the

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Roya ...

during the World War 2. He entered as an acting temporary electrical sub-lieutenant on the 13 October 1941 and becoming a temporary electrical lieutenant on 1 June 1943. He sailed with the Swedish convoy ship Vaalaren from Liverpool to New York on the 13 April 1942 at the age of 23. On the 1 June 1951 he became lieutenant commander at HMS Flying Fox, Mardyke Wharf in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

later joining the London branch in 1958. He married Olga Fletcher in 1959 in the Whitehaven registration district. He was promoted to commander on 31 December 1960. Afterwards, he was involved for 38 years in the electrical industry. Much of his career was in the construction of nuclear power stations.

Professional career

He served his apprenticeship with

Metropolitan-Vickers Metropolitan-Vickers, Metrovick, or Metrovicks, was a British heavy electrical engineering company of the early-to-mid 20th century formerly known as British Westinghouse. Highly diversified, it was particularly well known for its industrial el ...

and then, after war service, was a special trainee with

Edmundson Electrical Edmundson Electrical Ltd is a privately held electrical distribution company headquartered in Knutsford, Cheshire, incorporated in 1991. It is the largest electrical distributor in the United Kingdom and serves both to the trade and to the publi ...

. From 1946 he was assistant engineer in the

British European Airways British European Airways (BEA), formally British European Airways Corporation, was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. BEA operated to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East from airports around the United Kingdom. The ...

South West Division construction branch and then resident engineer with the

Central Electricity Generating Board The Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) was responsible for electricity generation, transmission and bulk sales in England and Wales from 1958 until privatisation of the electricity industry in the 1990s. It was established on 1 Januar ...

at East Yelland power station. Between 1958 and 1961 he was with their Southern Project Group with particular responsibility for

Bradwell nuclear power station Bradwell nuclear power station is a Magnox-design nuclear power station that is undergoing decommissioning. It is located on the Dengie peninsula at the mouth of the River Blackwater, Essex. In 2019, it was the first nuclear power station in ...

and Berkeley nuclear power station. He became director of the Central Electricity Generating Board Northern Project group where he oversaw the construction of the first Hinton Heavy

West Burton Power Station The West Burton power stations are a pair of power stations on the River Trent, near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England. West Burton A was a Fossil fuel power plant, coal-fired power station, one of the Hinton Heavies which was commissioned i ...

attending the opening ceremony with

Arthur Hawkins Sir Arthur Ernest Hawkins (10 June 1913 – 13 January 1999) was an English mechanical and electrical engineer. Born in Lympley Stoke, Bath, Somerset and educated at the Great Yarmouth High School. He joined the CEGB and was heavily ...

and

Sir Stanley Brown Sir Frederick Herbert Stanley Brown (9 December 1910 – 1997) was an English mechanical and electrical engineer. Born in Birmingham and educated at the King Edward's School, Birmingham he then went on to the University of Birmingham where he ...

. When he became director general of the South West region of Central Electricity, he oversaw the race between Hinkley Point B Nuclear Power Station and

Hunterston B nuclear power station Hunterston B nuclear power station is a shut-down AGR nuclear power station in North Ayrshire, Scotland. Located about south of Largs and about northwest of West Kilbride on the Firth of Clyde coast. It is currently operated by EDF Energy. The ...

to become the first

Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor The advanced gas-cooled reactor (AGR) is a type of nuclear reactor designed and operated in the United Kingdom. These are the generation II reactor, second generation of British gas-cooled reactors, using Nuclear graphite, graphite as the neutron ...

to synchronise to the grid. In 1982 he was awarded an OBE for services to the electricity industry. He was awarded the

Volunteer Reserve Decoration The Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, post-nominal letters VD until c. 1947 and VRD thereafter, was instituted in 1908. It could be awarded to part-time commissioned officers in the United Kingdom's Royal Naval Volunt ...

. He was survived by his son, Dominic. His daughter Dr Melanie J. Pask PhD (Imperial College London) predeceased him two years earlier.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pask, Douglas 1919 births 2008 deaths British electrical engineers