David Pye (engineer)

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For other people with similar names, see David Pye.

D. R. Pye
Born
David Randall Pye

29 April 1886 – 20 February 1960
Died20 February 1960(1960-02-20) (aged 73)
NationalityEnglish
CitizenshipUnited Kingdom
Academic background
EducationTonbridge School
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge
Academic work
DisciplineEngineer
Sub-discipline
Institutions
Military career
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branch
First World War

Sir David Randall Pye CB FRS[1] (29 April 1886 – 20 February 1960) was a British mechanical engineer and academic administrator.[2] He served as Provost of University College London from 1942 to 1951.

Biography

Pye was born in

third class honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1908.[2]

In 1909, he joined the

Fellow of New College, Oxford in 1911.[2] On 13 February 1912, he was commissioned into the Oxford University Officers' Training Corps as a second lieutenant.[4] From 1915 to 1916, he taught at Winchester College, an all-boys boarding school in Hampshire.[2]

From 1916 to 1919, he undertook service during the

temporary lieutenant on 13 October 1917,[6] and to temporary captain on 6 April 1918.[7] On 26 March 1918, he was appointed an experimental officer 1st class.[8] He was demobilised on 1 April 1919.[9]

In 1919, after the end of the War, Pye returned to his

Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in recognition of his work at the Air Ministry.[10]

Involvement with Operation Chastise

In February 1940, Pye initiated an ad hoc group within the Ministry of Aircraft Production, comprising four civilian scientists and one air commodore: this was the Aerial Attack on Dams Advisory Committee (AAD). Pye had previously discussed this issue with Barnes Wallis.[11]

Post war

Pye was appointed

Second World War.[2] He retired in 1951 due to illness,[2] and was made a Knight Bachelor in the 1952 New Year Honours.[14]

In the 1955 film The Dam Busters, Pye was played by Stanley van Beers.[citation needed] David Pye was the father of William Pye, a noted sculptor.[15][16]

Selected works

  • Tiddy, R. J. E. (1923). Thompson, R. S.; Pye, D. R. (eds.). The Mummers' Play. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
  • Pye, D. R. (1927). George Leigh Mallory: A memoir. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Pye, D. R. (1937). The Internal Combustion Engine. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

See also

References

  1. S2CID 73367463
    .
  2. ^
    doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/35636. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  3. ^
    Who Was Who
    . Oxford University Press. 1 December 2007. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  4. ^ "No. 28592". The London Gazette. 22 March 1912. p. 2095.
  5. ^ "No. 30050". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 May 1917. p. 4297.
  6. ^ "No. 30393". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 March 1912. p. 12086.
  7. ^ "No. 30660". The London Gazette. 30 April 1918. p. 5211.
  8. ^ "No. 31027". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 November 1918. p. 13876.
  9. ^ "No. 31336". The London Gazette. 13 May 1919. p. 5923.
  10. ^ "No. 34396". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 November 1917. p. 3079.
  11. ISBN 9780552163415
    .
  12. doi:10.1038/186433a0
    .
  13. doi:10.1038/150600a0
    .
  14. ^ "No. 39421". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1951. pp. 1–2.
  15. ^ British sculpture in the 21st century – William Pye Archived 2 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
  16. ^ William Pye – water sculpture.

External links

Academic offices
Preceded by Provost of University College London
1942–1951 		Succeeded by
B. Ifor Evans
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