Person

Butement, William Alan Stewart (1904 - 1990)

CBE FTSE

Born
18 August 1904
Masterton, New Zealand
Died
25 January 1990
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation
Physicist

Summary

William Butement was Chief Scientist with the Commonwealth Department of Supply and executive in charge of Australian Defence Scientific Research and Development 1949-1967 which included the Rocket Range at Woomera. Earlier in his career his work on radar earned him the title "Mr Searchlight Radar". However, he regarded the proximity fuse as his greatest achievement. He is commemorated by the High Frequency Radar Division, Butement Laboratory at Salisbury in South Australia.

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Details

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.

Chronology

1947 - 1949
Career position - Inaugural chief superintendent, Long Range Weapons Establishment Australia
1949 - 1967
Career position - Chief Scientist, Department of Supply
1959
Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - Chief Scientist of the Department of Supply
1975 - 1987
Award - Foundation Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (FTS)
1987
Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) [Foundation Fellow AATS 1975]

Related Corporate Bodies

Related Themes

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

Books

  • Williams, Betty, Dr W. A. S. Butement, the first Chief Scientist for Defence (Canberra: Defence Science and Technology Organisation, 1991), 27 pp. Details

Book Sections

Resources

See also

McCarthy, G.J.

Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 9 November 2022

EOAS ID: biogs/P002084b.htm

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