Looking for a photo of Robert J (Bob) Dippy also Harry Boot, John Randall, ingenious scientists who contributed so very much to the overall victory we achieved in WW2 . . Boot and Randall invented the cavity magnetron in 1940 that opened the door to airborne radar. Further, practically every household in the civilized world is indebted to these two. Their cavity magnetron is really the heart and soul of the micro-wave ovens all over the world.
The technical genius of Bob Dippy is unbounded. He was a genius. A very practical genius who played it low-key. Unlike Sir Arthur Harris who was knighted. Dippy has been confined to history’s rubbish tip Not even a single photo of him can be found in the Imperial War Museum. And yet, he must be given credit for many of the successes achieved on D-Day. Can you imagine, the darkness of night, a thousand ships milling around in the English channel finding their way through cleared pathways in the minefields to the beaches. Further, ten thousand planes in the cloudy skies. No air traffic controllers. Everyone following a flight plan. The ships and the bombers were all guided by GEE or other hyperbolic curve navigation systems. Without such accurate navigation systems, D-Day could have made the sinking of the Spanish Armada look like an afternoon tea party. Can a photo of Bob Dippy inventor of Gee really not exist ! – anyone with an interest in these men …it would be great to hear from you
go4b17
By: Lois Gorham - 5th December 2012 at 11:35
Hi Ian,
My husband, Bob Dippy, was a senior as far as I can remember; and John ‘Johnny’ Johnston was part of our group. I think Bawdsey was taken over by the RAF and we moved to Malvern Wells. I married Bob in the registry office in Malvern, and they actually gave us a day off work, so we had time to get married! Married couples were not allowed to work together, so after we were married we did not work together in the same department.
Lois
By: RadarArchive - 26th October 2012 at 18:04
I worked at Bawdsey during the war. None of us wore uniforms and no one knew it was the place were we did research, it was all a secret.
Thanks very much for your very interesting posts, Lois. May I ask what work you were doing at Bawdsey? I ask because the Bawdsey Research Station left on the outbreak of war and I would have thought there would only have been a handful of civilians left there after that. It would be fascinating to learn more about the no-doubt extremely important work you were doing.
By: charliehunt - 26th October 2012 at 15:20
An excellent series based on R V Jones’ 1978 book, from which much of my knowledge of these and other “secret” activities was born.
By: BMG - 26th October 2012 at 14:53
Not really helping with the original question, but this old BBC docu called Secret War does feature an interview with both Boot and Randle.
By: PeterVerney - 26th October 2012 at 13:44
Welcome aboard the forum Lois, and thank you for the contribution that you and your husband made to the war effort.
Yes, and thank your husband also for enabling me not to be lost on innumerable occasions.
By: Dave Homewood - 26th October 2012 at 13:02
Welcome aboard the forum Lois, and thank you for the contribution that you and your husband made to the war effort.
By: Lois Gorham - 26th October 2012 at 11:45
Hi Charlie,
Thank you the paper, it brought back lots of memories. I know many of the people who were mentioned in it.
I worked at Bawdsey during the war. None of us wore uniforms and no one knew it was the place were we did research, it was all a secret.
If you have anything else interesting please let me know.
Lois
By: charliehunt - 26th October 2012 at 10:22
I wonder, Lois. But you might find this paper by Bernard Lovell of interest.
http://rsnr.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/58/3/283.full.pdf
My father had the Ronald Coleman as well!!
By: Lois Gorham - 26th October 2012 at 10:15
Hi Charlie, I had forgotton about the Rolond Colman Mustache!
I was wondering if anyone had a copy of the first booklet of the magnatron. It was highly secret back in college.
Lois
By: charliehunt - 24th October 2012 at 09:47
By: Lois Gorham - 24th October 2012 at 09:43
Hi,
I am Bob Dippy’s wife, maiden name Gorham.
I am unsure if I have any photographs of Bob, however I think my daughter does. I seem to remember a photograph taken of him recieving an award for LORAN in the US. I believe it was published in a book.
Regards,
Lois
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October 18, 2005 at 9:08 am