John Robert Mills: Difference between revisions
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File:John Robert Mills aged 28.jpg|<span STYLE="font-style: italic">John Mills<br/>aged 28 in 1944</span> |
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John Mills was part of a ground breaking group during the Second World War that established Radar as a both a meaningful defence, particularly against enemy aircraft, and guidance technology. This included air navigation systems and later as a member of the (Offensive) Airborne Radar Division at RRE, the development of infra-red radar targeting and reconnaissance systems for the [[Royal Air Force]] and [[Royal Navy]]. |
John Mills was part of a ground breaking group during the Second World War that established Radar as a both a meaningful defence, particularly against enemy aircraft, and guidance technology. This included air navigation systems and later, as a member of the (Offensive) Airborne Radar Division at RRE, the development of infra-red radar targeting and reconnaissance systems for the [[Royal Air Force]] and [[Royal Navy]]. |
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The equipment developed for navigation, targeting and reconnaissance was further advanced for inclusion in the V bomber force and the [[BAC TSR-2|TSR2]] the most technically advanced aircraft of its era, as well as the development of the first successful sideways looking reconnaissance radar which was further developed by the USA and led, amongst other things, to today’s satellite radar systems.<ref name=":0" /> |
The equipment developed for navigation, targeting and reconnaissance was further advanced for inclusion in the V bomber force and the [[BAC TSR-2|TSR2]], the most technically advanced aircraft of its era, as well as the development of the first successful sideways looking reconnaissance radar which was further developed by the USA and led, amongst other things, to today’s satellite radar systems.<ref name=":0" /> |
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==1960-1967== |
==1960-1967== |
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During this period his team received the first message bounced off the Moon from the USA, work which eventually led to modern satellite communications. He also worked in the development of the first automatic aircraft landing system.<ref name=":0" /> |
During this period his team received the first message bounced off the Moon from the USA, work which eventually led to modern satellite communications. He also worked in the development of the first automatic aircraft landing system.<ref name=":0" /> |
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Mills was appointed Scientific |
Mills was appointed Scientific Adviser to the Minister of Technology (The Rt. Hon. Tony Wedgewood-Benn) in 1966.<ref name=":0" /> |
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==1967–1976== |
==1967–1976== |
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==1976–1977== |
==1976–1977== |
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The final chapter in Mills's career in |
The final chapter in Mills's career in the R&D business was a return to Malvern in 1976 as Deputy Director of the [[Royal Signals and Radar Establishment]] (RSRE) formed by merging RRE, SRDE and SERL ([[Services Electronic Research Laboratory]] formerly at Baldock, Hertfordshire) as part of the program to rationalise the defence establishments. His team continued to work on advanced military and satellite communications. Mills held this post until his retirement in 1977.<ref name=":0" /> |
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File:JRM 1976 Aged 60.jpg|<span STYLE="font-style: italic">John Mills<br/>aged 60 in 1976</span> |
File:JRM 1976 Aged 60.jpg|<span STYLE="font-style: italic">John Mills<br/>aged 60 in 1976</span> |
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== Personal life == |
== Personal life == |
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Mills married Pauline Phelps |
Mills married Pauline Phelps in April 1950.<ref name=":1" /> He was very much a family man with keen interests in music and gardening,<ref name=":0" /> He was survived by his wife and two sons.<ref name=":1" /> |
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== References == |
== References == |
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John Mills | |
|---|---|
 John Mills aged 60 in 1976 | |
| Born | 12 November 1916 Barnes, Surrey, England |
| Died | 6 May 1998 (aged 81) Malvern, Worcestershire, England |
| Alma mater | Kings College London |
| Spouse |
Pauline Phelps (m. 1950) |
| Children | Two sons |
| Awards | 1971 Fellow IEE (Now IET since 2006 ) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Defence Scientist Specialist in: Radar, Military Communications and Navigation Systems |
| Institutions | AMRE, Dundee RAE, Farnbourough TRE, RRE, Malvern Min Tech, London SRDE, Christchurch RSRE, Malvern |
John Robert Mills (, FIEE), born November 12th 1916 and died May 6th 1998,[1] was a British physicist and scientific expert who played an important role in the development of Radar and the defence of Britain in World War II. After the war he continued his career working for various British government research establishments on a variety of projects until his retirement in 1977.[2]
In addition to many achievements and contributions to military technological development, Mills was the first British scientist to receive radio-wave signals bounced off the moon[3]
Education & Early Career
Following his education at the Kingston-upon-Thames Grammar School he gained a BSc in physics at Kings College London in 1939 (The start of WW2) and later the same year he joined the Air Ministry Research Establishment in Dundee. In 1940 he moved to the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) at Farnborough and in 1942 moved to the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE) in Malvern which later became the Radar Research Establishment (RRE) and later still the Royal Radar Establishment (RRE) where he stayed until 1960.[2]
-
John Mills
aged 24 in 1940 -
John Mills
aged 28 in 1944
John Mills was part of a ground breaking group during the Second World War that established Radar as a both a meaningful defence, particularly against enemy aircraft, and guidance technology. This included air navigation systems and later, as a member of the (Offensive) Airborne Radar Division at RRE, the development of infra-red radar targeting and reconnaissance systems for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.
The equipment developed for navigation, targeting and reconnaissance was further advanced for inclusion in the V bomber force and the TSR2, the most technically advanced aircraft of its era, as well as the development of the first successful sideways looking reconnaissance radar which was further developed by the USA and led, amongst other things, to today’s satellite radar systems.[2]
1960-1967
Mills spent about a year at the MOD London followed by five years as head of Radio Department at RAE Farnborough where his responsibilities included:
- Electronic warfare systems,
- Very Low Frequency (VLF) navigation which led to the Omega system
- Radio propagation studies.
During this period his team received the first message bounced off the Moon from the USA, work which eventually led to modern satellite communications. He also worked in the development of the first automatic aircraft landing system.[2]
Mills was appointed Scientific Adviser to the Minister of Technology (The Rt. Hon. Tony Wedgewood-Benn) in 1966.[2]
1967–1976
During the period from 1967 to 1976, Mills was the director of the Signals Research and Development Establishment (SRDE) in Christchurch, Dorset where he was responsible for three major technical research and development areas:[2]
- Night vision devices, mainly for the British Army where image intensifier technology was utilised in equipment from rifle sights to systems for tanks and other vehicles.[2]
- Tactical and strategic radio and communication network systems[2] some of which were in active service till the early 2000’s e.g. Clansman from late 1970’s till 2004
- Military satellite communication systems with emphasis on light weight ground terminals for mobile use.[2] e.g. Ptarmigan (see British Armed Forces communications and information systems
-
John Mills
aged 54 in 1970 -
John Mills
with SRDE team in 1974
In 1971, Mills was appointed a Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE), the highest grade of IEE membership.[4]
1976–1977
The final chapter in Mills's career in the R&D business was a return to Malvern in 1976 as Deputy Director of the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment (RSRE) formed by merging RRE, SRDE and SERL (Services Electronic Research Laboratory formerly at Baldock, Hertfordshire) as part of the program to rationalise the defence establishments. His team continued to work on advanced military and satellite communications. Mills held this post until his retirement in 1977.[2]
-
John Mills
aged 60 in 1976 -
John Mills with HM The Queen and
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh at RSRE in 1976
Publications
Mills contributed to an article on radar published in the Encyclopedia Britannica[3]
Mills published "Radio Techniques for Automatic Systems in the Air" in the Journal of Navigation in 1960[5]
Mills joint published "The Long-range Navigation of Civil Aircraft" in the Journal of Navigation in 1964[6]
Personal life
Mills married Pauline Phelps in April 1950.[3] He was very much a family man with keen interests in music and gardening,[2] He was survived by his wife and two sons.[3]
References
- ^ "www.familysearch.org". Retrieved 20 September 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Slater, Kenneth (July 1998). "John Mills 1916-1998". Physics World (Inst of Physics). 11 (7): 41. ISSN 0953-8585.
- ^ a b c d "John Mills (Obituary)". Daily Telegraph. 17 July 1998. p. 29.
- ^ "Fellow (FIET)". IET. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
- ^ "Radio Techniques for Automatic Systems in the Air". The Journal of Navigation. 13 (1). Cambridge University Press: 47–58. doi:10.1017/S037346330003722X.
- ^ "The Long-range Navigation of Civil Aircraft". The Journal of Navigation. 17 (2). Cambridge University Press: 167–182. doi:10.1017/S0373463300048530.
Category:Radar pioneers
Category:English physicists
Category:British military engineers
Category:Military communications of the United Kingdom
Category:British people of World War II