I Kept No Diary: 60 Years with Marine Diesels, Automobile and Aero Engines, 1978, 1978

Document Type: Book (Historical Study).

Purpose: Informational.

Authority: Author Expertise.

Scope (from the Preface): "This autobiography is not strictly a technical treatise, though certain aspects of my work might be of historical interest to those who have been similarly involved. I have for more than sixty years been engaged in the development and running problems of the internal combustion piston engine (marine diesels, automobile and aero engines). Then, in 1944-46, I was responsible for the future planning of the aero gas turbine engine.

Anyone so closely involved in his professional life with two major developments of universal importance can consider himself exceptionally lucky. I was associated with the introduction and use of the anti-knock compound, tetraethyl lead, and then, some eighteen years later, the aero gas turbine. This is the luck for which, when it comes, the recipient can give thanks to the Almighty because any job, anywhere, requires an element of luck to complement what professional skill or ability he may have."

Contents (from the Table of Contents): 1 Early Days 2 The 1914-1918 War 3 Return to Home Waters 4 Belgian Coast and Heligoland Bight Operations 5 Back to the Eastern Mediterranean 6 Caspian Operations 7 The Twenties 8 From Sea to Air 9 In Oil 10 Tetraethyl Lead 11 Engine Progress 12 Schneider Contests: Influence on Military Aviation 13 Italian Interlude 14 British and European Military Aero Engine Developments 15 Fuel Developments in the Biplane to Monoplane era 16 The Second World War 17 Working for 'The Beaver' 18 The Poppet and The Sleeve Valve 19 From Pistons to Jets . 20 Return to Civilization 21 Some Encounters over the Years 22 A look at Engines, Engineering and the Future 23 General Comments 24 Courage 25 In Conclusion Appendix I, French Higher Education Appendix II, Fuel Appendix III, Engine Production Index