Eric Arthur Simms,
DFC (24 August 1921 – 1 March 2009)
was an English
ornithologist
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the "methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them." Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and th ...
,
naturalist, writer,
sound recordist
Sound recording and reproduction is the electrical, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording te ...
, broadcaster and conservationist,
as well as a decorated wartime
Bomber Command
Bomber Command is an organisational military unit, generally subordinate to the air force of a country. The best known were in Britain and the United States. A Bomber Command is generally used for strategic bombing (although at times, e.g. during t ...
pilot/ bomb-aimer.
He was born on 24 August 1921, the youngest of three brothers,
in London,
where his father was head gardener at the private gardens in Ladbroke Square.
He won a scholarship to
Latymer Upper School
(Slowly Therefore Surely)
, established =
, closed =
, sister_school = Godolphin and Latymer School
, type = Public schoolIndependent day school
, head_label = H ...
and in 1939 began to read history at
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the Colleges of Oxford University, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the ...
,
where he also took up
bird ringing
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweight ...
and joined the
University Air Squadron
University Air Squadrons are training units under the command of No. 6 Flying Training School RAF of the Royal Air Force and their main role is to attract students into careers as RAF officers. Primarily its goal is achieved through offering b ...
, and, without completing his studies, was sent for aircrew training in Canada and the United States in 1941. He was
called up, joining the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
in 1941
and by 1943 was a
Leading Aircraftman
Leading aircraftman (LAC) or leading aircraftwoman (LACW) is a junior rank in some air forces. It sits between aircraftman and senior aircraftman, and has a NATO rank code of OR-2. The rank badge is a horizontal two-bladed propeller. The ra ...
, and was then commissioned as a
pilot officer
Pilot officer (Plt Off officially in the RAF; in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly P/O in all services, and still often used in the RAF) is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countri ...
on probation in the
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 19 March 1943, serving as a bomb aimer and second pilot in
Lancaster bomber
The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling ...
s,
in which he flew 27 raids over Germany.
On 14 November 1944 he was awarded
Distinguished Flying Cross,
the citation praising his "skill and determination which have been an inspiration to the crews with which he flies" and a "complete disregard for danger in the face of the heaviest enemy defences".
After demobilisation, he worked as a teacher in
Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon an ...
,
and served on the research committee of the
West Midland Bird Club.
He then worked for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
before making more than 7,000 radio broadcasts and hundreds of television appearances.
He was a passionate believer in bringing natural history to a wider audience, and was a resident naturalist at the BBC. He is credited with starting the ''Countryside'' radio programme in 1952. As a guest on ''
'' in 1976, one of his eight choices was a recording of a blackbird he had made near his London home.
He narrated the 1972 BBC LP "A Year's Journey" (catalogue number RED135M), which was subtitled "Wildlife recordings from the BBC TV Series for schools".
Simms also appeared in Sir
line running northwest out of London. He was featured birdwatching in
, Lincolnshire.
He died on 1 March 2009. Thelma had died in 2001.
and four granddaughters.
Simms was a prolific writer of over twenty books and numerous articles.
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* (With Myles North)
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series no.52)
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* (New Naturalist series no.63)
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* (New Naturalist series no.71)
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* (New Naturalist series no.78)