Professor Sir T. ^V. Edgeworth David. 7 



Headquarters as Geological Adviser to the Inspector of Mines of the 

 British Expeditionary Forces, and with Captain W. B. R. King was 

 responsible for all the geological work in the British Armies in France. 

 This was especially important in guiding tunnelling operations among 

 very porous strata below ground- water level. " If it had not been 

 for this work of Colonel David, portions of our mining system would 

 have been completely flooded out and lost."^ He was promoted to 

 the rank of Lieut. -Colonel, received the D.S.O., and was knighted 

 during the past yer.r. The Council of the Royal Society of New South 

 Wales took advantage of his absence to award him the Clarke 

 Memorial Medal. 



Back once more in Sydney, Professor David returned with much 

 energy to his old researches, especially the evidence of glaciation 

 from Middle to Upper Carboniferous times, first discovered by him 

 during the visit of the British Association in 1914. This had been 

 further investigated in his absence by his former student, Mr. C. A. 

 Siisstuilch, with whom he now completed an account of the 

 phenomena, including a wonderful series of seasonally-banded rocks 

 comparable with the " varve " rocks of De Geer, and also added a 

 general discussion of the relationship of Carboniferous and Permian 

 rocks in various parts of the world. He has arranged during the 

 present year to visit many of the critical areas throughout Australia 

 in preparation for his long-awaited book on the geology of the 

 continent. 



Besides carrying out this great amount of research work. Pro- 

 fessor David has always taken an active part in University 

 organization as Dean of the Faculty of Science, Chairman of the 

 Professorial Board, and member of the University Senate, and is 

 also a trustee of the Australian Museum. His advice is constantly 

 sought by his fellow-geologists, official and academic, throughout the 

 Commonwealth, in which he has travelled ■widely. So, also, bis 

 services are in frequent demand and always given freely to the 

 Government in all matters of scientific organization, and he has been 

 a member of several Royal Coinmissions dealing with coal and 

 artesian water supply. As a public speaker he is most successful, 

 attracting attention always by his vivid presentation of his subject, 

 enthusiasm, and keen sense of humour. No sketch of his career 

 could, however, omit to mention the secret of his great influence, 

 a winning personality which combines with high scientific attain- 

 ment a noble ideal of duty, extraordinary generosity of thought and 

 deed, and a courtly charm of manner that has endeared him to all 

 who have had the privilege of meeting him. These would echo 

 heartily the words of General Liddel (Chief of Staff, Royal Engineers) : 

 " In regard to Colonel David I may say on behalf of R.E. officers 

 that we regarded him always with the most affectionate admiration ; 

 he was one of the finest characters we have ever met." 



^ For an account of this work see W. B. R. King, " Geological Work on the 

 Western Front," Oeograi^hical Journal, October, 1919, pp. 201-21. 



