Biographical entry Butement, William Alan Stewart (1904 - 1990)

Summary

William Alan S. Butement was Chief Scientist with the Commonwealth Department of Supply and in executive charge of Australian Defence Scientific Research and Development 1949-67 which included the Rocket Range at Woomera.

Earlier in his career his work on radar earned him the title "Mr Searchligh Radar". However, he regarded the proximity fuse as his greatest achievement.

Details

Born Masterton, New Zealand, 18 August 1904. Died Melbourne, 25 January 1990. CBE 1959. Educated University College London (BSc). Scientific Officer, Signals Experimental Establishment War Office outstation Woolwich, United Kingdom 1928-38; senior scientific officer, Radar Research and Development Establishment, United Kingdom Ministry of Supply 1938-39; principal scientific officer and assistant director of scientific research, United Kingdom Ministry of Supply HQ London 1940-46; deputy chief scientific officer of party to Australia under Sir John Evetts to set up Rocket Range; first chief superintendent, Long Range Weapons Establishment Australia 1947-49; chief scientist, Department of Supply 1949-67, responsible for the newly created Australian Defence Scientific Service (ADSS); Research director, Plessey Pacific Pty Ltd 1967-72. Co-founder and Foundation Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences 1975. Commemorated by the High Frequency Radar Division Butement Laboratory at Salisbury in South Australia.

Related entries

Archival resources

Private hands (contact Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre)

• William Alan Stewart Butement - Records, 1960 - 1990; Private hands (contact Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre). Details

Published resources

Journal Articles

• Home, R. W., 'Butement, William Alan Stewart (1904-1990), Defence Scientist', Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 17, 2007, pp. 172-174. Details

Online Resources

• National Library of Australia, 'Butement, William Alan Stewart', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1467338. Details

See also

• Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Online edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, 3 May 2000, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/scripts/tia-dynindex.php3?EID=P002084. Details
• Federation and Meteorology, 2001, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/fam/scripts/fam-dynindex.php3?EID=P002084. Details
• Caro, D. E.; Martin, R. L., 'Leslie Harold Martin 1900-1983', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 7, no. 1, 1987, pp. 97-107. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9870710097.htm. Details
• Newton, J. O., 'Ernest William Titterton 1916-1990', Historical Records of Australian Science, vol. 9, no. 2, 1992, pp. 167-187. Also available at http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/HR9920920167.htm. Details
• Wisdom, John, A History of Defence Science in Australia, Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Melbourne, 1995, 267 pp. Details