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| Percy White obituary | |
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| Percy White, who has died aged 96, was one of a small group of highly talented scientists involved in the British nuclear weapons development programme in the late 1940s and 50s, whose achievements have not been widely recognised because of the secrecy and anonymity of their work. | Percy White, who has died aged 96, was one of a small group of highly talented scientists involved in the British nuclear weapons development programme in the late 1940s and 50s, whose achievements have not been widely recognised because of the secrecy and anonymity of their work. |
| As chief chemical engineer at Aldermaston, the Berkshire headquarters of the atomic weapons programme, White made many contributions to the first British atomic bomb, which was successfully tested on 3 October 1952 off the north-west coast of Australia (in Operation Hurricane). A few years later he was to contribute even more significantly to the development of British thermonuclear weapons. These radically new weapons involved the use of novel and exotic materials, some of which had never been produced in Britain in more than milligram quantities, if at all. White and his team of chemists and chemical engineers were responsible for nearly all the new chemical plants required. | As chief chemical engineer at Aldermaston, the Berkshire headquarters of the atomic weapons programme, White made many contributions to the first British atomic bomb, which was successfully tested on 3 October 1952 off the north-west coast of Australia (in Operation Hurricane). A few years later he was to contribute even more significantly to the development of British thermonuclear weapons. These radically new weapons involved the use of novel and exotic materials, some of which had never been produced in Britain in more than milligram quantities, if at all. White and his team of chemists and chemical engineers were responsible for nearly all the new chemical plants required. |
| It was British success in the development of thermonuclear bombs – demonstrated in four series of weapon trials (codenamed Grapple) in the Pacific during 1957 and 1958 – that secured a historic US-UK agreement "for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes". Concluded in 1958, this agreement is still in force. In the extensive programme of technical collaboration that followed immediately after it, White played a significant role. | It was British success in the development of thermonuclear bombs – demonstrated in four series of weapon trials (codenamed Grapple) in the Pacific during 1957 and 1958 – that secured a historic US-UK agreement "for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes". Concluded in 1958, this agreement is still in force. In the extensive programme of technical collaboration that followed immediately after it, White played a significant role. |
| The son of a tent-maker and a seamstress, he was born in London, but the family soon moved to south Wales, where Percy won a scholarship to University College, Swansea, graduating with first-class honours in chemistry at the age of 19. A further scholarship took him to University College London, where he obtained a diploma in chemical engineering. | The son of a tent-maker and a seamstress, he was born in London, but the family soon moved to south Wales, where Percy won a scholarship to University College, Swansea, graduating with first-class honours in chemistry at the age of 19. A further scholarship took him to University College London, where he obtained a diploma in chemical engineering. |
| His working life began in the metals industry and then the design of power station equipment, but on the outbreak of the second world war he was recruited as a government scientist in the Ministry of Supply. He worked on antidotes to chemical warfare agents and then for the western region of the Royal Ordnance Factories. There was a serious shortage of ammunition for the services, and White quickly made an important contribution: the development of a new method of filling shells and bombs with high explosive, which mechanised a labour-intensive hand process. His invention was patented. | His working life began in the metals industry and then the design of power station equipment, but on the outbreak of the second world war he was recruited as a government scientist in the Ministry of Supply. He worked on antidotes to chemical warfare agents and then for the western region of the Royal Ordnance Factories. There was a serious shortage of ammunition for the services, and White quickly made an important contribution: the development of a new method of filling shells and bombs with high explosive, which mechanised a labour-intensive hand process. His invention was patented. |
| At the end of the war he was offered a permanent appointment as a government scientist. He worked first at Waltham Abbey (the explosives research establishment in Essex) and then at Porton Down (the microbiological research establishment in Wiltshire) before moving, on promotion, to the Woolwich Arsenal, part of the big Armament Research Department (ARD) in south-east London. | At the end of the war he was offered a permanent appointment as a government scientist. He worked first at Waltham Abbey (the explosives research establishment in Essex) and then at Porton Down (the microbiological research establishment in Wiltshire) before moving, on promotion, to the Woolwich Arsenal, part of the big Armament Research Department (ARD) in south-east London. |
| ARD was headed by the young William (later Lord) Penney as chief superintendent, armament research. Penney, who had been working at Los Alamos, New Mexico, for the Manhattan Project during the war, had received government orders in 1947 to create inside ARD a super-secret group, codenamed HER (short for high explosives research), with the task of designing, making and testing an atomic bomb for Britain. The original team of 37 quickly increased and in 1949 White was among the new recruits. | ARD was headed by the young William (later Lord) Penney as chief superintendent, armament research. Penney, who had been working at Los Alamos, New Mexico, for the Manhattan Project during the war, had received government orders in 1947 to create inside ARD a super-secret group, codenamed HER (short for high explosives research), with the task of designing, making and testing an atomic bomb for Britain. The original team of 37 quickly increased and in 1949 White was among the new recruits. |
| All these men had lived, worked and fought through a long and destructive war, which had been concluded after six years by two apocalyptic atomic bombs. There was a general longing for peace and reconstruction, but the immediate postwar world seemed dangerous and insecure. Britain was exhausted and bankrupted; Europe was devastated; the Americans were withdrawing (Nato and the Marshall plan did not yet exist); the cold war was already menacing. Many people in Britain thought that the best hope for peace lay in having atomic weapons, which would make any major war too terrible to contemplate. Britain's security must, they thought, depend on atomic deterrence. | All these men had lived, worked and fought through a long and destructive war, which had been concluded after six years by two apocalyptic atomic bombs. There was a general longing for peace and reconstruction, but the immediate postwar world seemed dangerous and insecure. Britain was exhausted and bankrupted; Europe was devastated; the Americans were withdrawing (Nato and the Marshall plan did not yet exist); the cold war was already menacing. Many people in Britain thought that the best hope for peace lay in having atomic weapons, which would make any major war too terrible to contemplate. Britain's security must, they thought, depend on atomic deterrence. |
| As the bomb project grew, it needed new accommodation, and a site was taken over in early 1950 at Aldermaston airfield, in Berkshire. White was the first scientist on the site, and his initial job was to research, design and commission a radioactive liquid treatment plant for it. Until it was completed, no radioactive material could be used. As Penney said, White was the scientist who laid down the principles on which the plant was constructed. He had the highest regard for White, and described him as an extremely able chemical engineer, self-confident, energetic, with an inquiring mind and the ability to express himself with extraordinary clarity. | As the bomb project grew, it needed new accommodation, and a site was taken over in early 1950 at Aldermaston airfield, in Berkshire. White was the first scientist on the site, and his initial job was to research, design and commission a radioactive liquid treatment plant for it. Until it was completed, no radioactive material could be used. As Penney said, White was the scientist who laid down the principles on which the plant was constructed. He had the highest regard for White, and described him as an extremely able chemical engineer, self-confident, energetic, with an inquiring mind and the ability to express himself with extraordinary clarity. |
| In the 1960s his talents (like those of a number of other nuclear weapon scientists at the time) were diverted to other, civil, aspects of atomic energy, and he led a team of chemists, metallurgists and engineers in research on plutonium/uranium oxide fuel elements for the fast reactor at Dounreay in Caithness. He was appointed OBE in 1966 and in 1972 retired to live in Lymington, Hampshire. | In the 1960s his talents (like those of a number of other nuclear weapon scientists at the time) were diverted to other, civil, aspects of atomic energy, and he led a team of chemists, metallurgists and engineers in research on plutonium/uranium oxide fuel elements for the fast reactor at Dounreay in Caithness. He was appointed OBE in 1966 and in 1972 retired to live in Lymington, Hampshire. |
| His life after retirement was busy and productive. He acted as a consultant to the UK Atomic Energy Authority, to industry, and in particular to the Department of Health, where he made many valuable contributions to hospital design. He led a working party of surgeons, anaesthetists, physicians and chemical engineers to study ways in which chemical engineering science could be brought to bear on medicine. This initiative led a number of university chemical engineering departments to begin work in this field. | His life after retirement was busy and productive. He acted as a consultant to the UK Atomic Energy Authority, to industry, and in particular to the Department of Health, where he made many valuable contributions to hospital design. He led a working party of surgeons, anaesthetists, physicians and chemical engineers to study ways in which chemical engineering science could be brought to bear on medicine. This initiative led a number of university chemical engineering departments to begin work in this field. |
| White published four books: Inert Atmospheres (1962) and High Efficiency Air Filtration (1964), both in collaboration with his colleague SE Smith; Effective Management of Research and Development (1975); and Protective Air Enclosures in Health Buildings (1981). | White published four books: Inert Atmospheres (1962) and High Efficiency Air Filtration (1964), both in collaboration with his colleague SE Smith; Effective Management of Research and Development (1975); and Protective Air Enclosures in Health Buildings (1981). |
| His horizons were wide, with an enduring interest in art, music and literature. In retirement he trained as an artist enameller at Southampton College of Art and became a member of the British Society of Enamellers, contributing regularly to its annual exhibitions in London, and holding a one-man exhibition at the Winchester City Art Gallery. | His horizons were wide, with an enduring interest in art, music and literature. In retirement he trained as an artist enameller at Southampton College of Art and became a member of the British Society of Enamellers, contributing regularly to its annual exhibitions in London, and holding a one-man exhibition at the Winchester City Art Gallery. |
| White married Jean Bracey in 1940. She died in 2007. He is survived by a son, Steven, a daughter, Barbara, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. | White married Jean Bracey in 1940. She died in 2007. He is survived by a son, Steven, a daughter, Barbara, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. |
| • Percival Albert Frederick White, atomic scientist, born 16 July 1916; died 8 January 2013 | • Percival Albert Frederick White, atomic scientist, born 16 July 1916; died 8 January 2013 |
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