John Reginald Harvey Whiston OBE (3 January 1893 – 1956) was Associate Professor of Applied Chemistry at the

Royal Military College of Science The Royal Military College of Science (RMCS) was a British postgraduate school, research institution and training provider with origins dating back to 1772. It became part of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in 2009, and ceased to exist ...

, with a particular interest in explosives.

Life

Whiston grew up in

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

before studying at

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship St ...

. He was commissioned as a

Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

on 3 October 1914, having previously been a Cadet Serjeant in the Senior Division of the Oxford University Contingent of the

Officers Training Corps The Officers' Training Corps (OTC), more fully called the University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC), are military leadership training units operated by the British Army. Their focus is to develop the leadership abilities of their members whilst ...

. He served in the Royal Air Force during the First World War and was a member of the scientific staff at

Netheravon Netheravon is a village and civil parish on the River Avon and A345 road, about north of the town of Amesbury in Wiltshire, South West England. It is within Salisbury Plain. The village is on the right (west) bank of the Avon, opposite Fit ...

. In 1922, Whiston joined the chemistry department of the Royal Military College of Science, becoming Associate Professor in 1936. After the Second World War, he became Associate Professor of Applied Chemistry, a new post. He was also active in the work of the Institution of Professional Civil Servants. He specialized in the study of service explosives. He published papers with, amongst others, David Chapman, the Chemistry

Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

at Jesus College. He was made an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

. His obituary in ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'' on 5 March 1956 noted that he had "died recently at the age of 63."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whiston, John Reginald Harvey 1893 births 1956 deaths Officers of the Order of the British Empire Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford British chemists Royal Air Force personnel of World War I