P000322 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098]; Ken McInnes updated 2026-02-05 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000322b.htm person Coombes Lawrence Percival CBE DFC FTSE AACR2 9 April 1899 3 June 1988 Place of Birth Perambore, Madras, India Place of Death South Yarra, Victoria, Australia Aeronautical scientist Lawrence Coombes was the founding Chief of the Division of Aeronautics, appointed in August 1938, under the CSIR. When the laboratory at Fishermans Bend was completed in 1940, it formally became a Division of CSIR. In 1949, he became Chief Superintendent, Aeronautical Research Laboratories (ARL), when it was renamed and was transferred to the Department of Supply. In 1960, under the auspices of the United Nations, he was instrumental in the establishment of India's aeronautical research laboratories. During part of 1919, Coombes was a pilot with Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith. His distinguished achievements were recognised when he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1964; was awraded the Kernot Memorial Medal in 1968 and was elected as a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences. He is commemorated by the L P Coombes Medal which is presented to the speaker who is invited to deliver the L P Coombes Lecture. The lecture and award are jointly sponsored by the Aviation and Space Branch of the Victoria Division, Institution of Engineers Australia and the Aeronautical Research Laboratories. 1917 1918 Military service - Captain, Royal Navy Air Services (No.10 Squandron) and Royal Air Force (210 Squadron) [Pilot of Sopwith Camels in France.] 1918 1918 Award - Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) 1920 1920 Award - Freeman of the City of London - for war services 1920 1920 Education - Bachelor of Science, Engineering (BScEng), City and Guilds Engineering College, London [Completion delayed by military service] 1920 1924 Career position - Research Department, C.A. Parsons & Co., Newcastle-on-Tyne 1924 1925 Career position - Scientific Officer, Aerodynamics Department, Royal Aircraft Establishment [Research in wind tunnels] 1925 1930 Career position - First Scientific Officer, Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, Felixstowe [Under Maurice Wright, and later H.M. Garner] 1926 1926 Life event - Married Annie Marie (Nancy) Lee 1930 1938 Career position - Scientific Officer, in charge of Seaplane Tank, Royal Aircraft Establishment 1938 1939 Life event - Immigrated to Australia 1938 1948 Career position - Chief, Division of Aeronautics, CSIR c. 1941 1947 Career position - Member of Council, Australian Council for Aeronautics 1945 1945 Career event - Fellow, Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS) 1949 1964 Career position - Chief Superintendent, Aeronautical Research Laboratory, Department of Supply, Melbourne 1957 1957 Award - Lawrence Hargrave Memorial Medal 1962 1962 Award - Kingsford-Smith Memorial Medal 1964 1964 Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - In recognition of service to aviation 1968 1968 Award - Kernot Memorial Medal, for distinguished engineering achievement in Australia. Faculty of Engineering, University of Melbourne 1975 1975 Award - Doctor of Engineering (DEng), (honoris causa), Monash University 1975 1987 Award - Foundation Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (FRS) 1987 1988 Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) [Foundation Fellow AATS 1975] 1988 1988 Buried - Cremated, Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Victoria Australian Council for Aeronautics (1941 - 1947)

Member of Council to 1947

 Kernot Memorial Medal, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Melbourne (1926 - )

Awarded the Medal 1968

 Australian Academy of Technological Sciences (1975 - 1987)

Foundation Fellow 1975 - 1987

 Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (1987 - )

Fellow 1987 [Foundation Fellow AATS 1975]

 Aeronautical Research Laboratories, Department of Supply and Development (1949 - 1994)

Chief Superintendent, Aeronautical Research Laboratories 1949 - 1964

 CSIR Division of Aeronautics, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (1940 - 1949)

Founder, Chief of the Division of Aeronautics 1940 - 1949

 Wallaby Club (1894 - )

President 1974 - 1974

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Coombes, L P (1899-1988)

Trove

 'Coombes, Lawrence Percival', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Coombes, Lawrence Percival Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource: Fellows of the Academy Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Fellows of the Academy 2024 Resource Section: Aeronautics Aeronautics Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) CSIROpedia Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Resource: Guide to the Records of Lawrence Percival Coombes Guide to the Records of Lawrence Percival Coombes Australian Science Archives Project 1993 Resource: Lawrence Percival Coombes Guide to Records Johnson, Mandy; Mark Scillio; Angela Taylor; and Rod Buchanan: with Lisa O'Sullivan and Gavan McCarthy Lawrence Percival Coombes Guide to Records Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre 2004 Resource Section: Career Outline McCarthy, Gavan Career Outline Melbourne Australian Science Archives Project 1993 Guide to the Records of Lawrence Percival Coombes Article: Speech by Ditta Bartels at launch of the Guide to the Records of Laurence Percival Coombes Speech by Ditta Bartels at launch of the <span style="font-style:italic">Guide to the Records of Laurence Percival Coombes</span> 1994 HASN 32 Book: A Guide to the Records of Lawrence Percival Coombes Johnson, Mandy; Scillio, Mark; Taylor, Angela; Buchanan, Rod; O'Sullivan, Lisa; McCarthy, Gavan A Guide to the Records of Lawrence Percival Coombes Melbourne Australian Science Archives Project 1993 Book: Aeronautical Research Laboratory 1939-1989: 50 Years of Research and Development for Australia's Defence Mann, J. Y. Aeronautical Research Laboratory 1939-1989: 50 Years of Research and Development for Australia's Defence Melbourne Aeronautical Research Laboratory 1989 Book: The leading edge: sixty years of aeronautical research and development for Australia's defence 1939 - 1999 Long, Gordon The leading edge: sixty years of aeronautical research and development for Australia's defence 1939 - 1999 Melbourne Aeronautical & Maritime Research Laboratory 1999 Book: A History of Defence Science in Australia Wisdom, John A History of Defence Science in Australia Melbourne Defence Science and Technology Organisation 1995 Resource: Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Online Melbourne Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre 2000 Lawrence Percival Coombes - Records State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection Lawrence Percival Coombes - Records 1900 - 1988 Personal and biographical material 1916-1988; financial records; diaries 1918, 1938-1987; World War I records; records for the period 1919-30; information on seaplanes; Aeronautical Research Laboratories records including correspondence, reports, minutes, notes, photographs and humorous material; records dealing with the Institution of Engineers and other societies; lectures and addresses; family material; photographs, tape recordings and films [8 m]. 8 m Artwork, Audio, Film, Objects, Photographs Lawrence Percival Coombes - Records Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Corporate Records and Archives Strategies Lawrence Percival Coombes - Records 1938 - 1948 Personal history file, annual reports, research and conference material and 1 photograph; overall dates 1938-48. Lawrence Percival Coombes Lawrence Percival Coombes

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