{{Short description|British engineer and scientist (1891-1952}} <!-- Important, do not remove anything above this line before article has been created. --> {{use dmy date|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Sir Reginald Edward Stradling | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=85%|CB|MC|FRS}} | image = Dr R E Stradling, CB, MD, FRS (Art.IWM ART LD 3559).jpg | alt = Oil painting of Reginald Stradling, by Rodney Burn, war artist. | caption = Painting of Stradling in 1945, by war artist Rodney Joseph Burn | birth_name = <!-- use only if different from name --> | birth_date = {{Birth date|1891|05|12|df=yes}} | birth_place = Bedminster, Bristol, County Borough of Bristol | death_date = {{Death date and age|1952|01|26|1891|05|12|df=yes}} | spouse = Inda (née Pippard) | children = One son, one daughter | citizenship = British | death_place = Shrivenham, Oxfordshire | resting_place = Oxford Crematorium, County Borough of Oxford | other_names = | occupation = Engineer and government scientist | education = University of Bristol: BSc(Eng) and DSc(Eng)<br/>University of Birmingham: PhD | years_active = | known_for = Development of modern building techniques; improvement to civilian defence during WWII | notable_works = }} '''Sir Reginald Edward Stradling''' (12 May 1891 – 26 January 1952) was an engineer and government scientist who had a leading role in the development of modern housing techniques in Britain. He led scientific research into aspects of the Second World War, with a particular interest in improving civilian defence against incendiary bombs dropped during German air raids.
== Early life == Reginald Stradling was the second of three children of Edward and Sarah (née Bennet) Stradling. His father was a forage merchant.<ref name="ODNB"/>
Stradling attended Bristol Grammar School. His initial desire was to become a physician, however he had poor eyesight and it was accepted that this would inhibit his medical ambitions. Instead Stradling read engineering at the University of Bristol.<ref name="Times"/> This was achieved by winning a scholarship sponsored by the Surveyors Institute, now known as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), which would have required him to train as a surveyor at the end of his undergraduate studies. As a student with myopia he was shy and found it hard to develop a social circle. He was interested in the psychical writings of Frederic W. H. Myers, particularly his posthumous book ''Human Personality and its Survival of Bodily Death'', and separately he was attracted to socialism.<ref name="RoySoc"/>
After graduating in 1912 he entered into training with the Bristol engineering consultants A. P. I. Cotterell and Son, which specialised in water supply engineering, before taking up posts in Bolton and Birmingham.<ref name="RoySoc"/>
== First World War == Between 1914 and 1918, Stradling was deployed into the Royal Engineers.<ref name="Times"/> He had previously indicated that he was a pacifist, but when war started he volunteered, and Stradling was given a commission. He enjoyed his time in the army, despite maintaining an opposition to war as a concept. He spent part of his service in France, and rose to the rank of captain adjutant to 16 Division at the time of discharge. His physical and mental health began to fail towards the end of the war, but he found that studying psychology helped him get through to the end of his service.<ref name="RoySoc"/>
== Academic career == After the end of the war, Stradling was released from his obligation to the Surveyors Institute to train as a surveyor. Instead he became a lecturer in civil engineering at the University of Birmingham, where he obtained his PhD in 1922. In the same year he moved to Bradford Technical College in Yorkshire, where he was appointed to the role of head of civil engineering, architecture and building.<ref name="RoySoc"/><ref name="Bradford"/> He obtained his DSc from the University of Bristol in 1925.<ref name="ODNB"/>
== Building Research Station == In 1924 Stradling was appointed as Director of the Building Research Station (BRS), now known as the Building Research Establishment, but at that stage a newly created unit within the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. This was to become his most fruitful period of research activity and a role that he greatly enjoyed. The station was originally in Acton but then moved to Watford. A separate reorganisation moved the equivalent research unit for roads into his department, consequently he acquired the additional title of Director of Road Research.<ref name="RoySoc"/>
The purpose of the research station was to promote modern methods of building construction. An example was setting standards and recommendations for the use of steel and steel frames in buildings and bridges, and liaising with the steel industry to assist with supply lines. The BRS researched and tested different building materials for suitability and safety. As the prospect of another war loomed, the BRS turned its attention to civil defence measures.<ref name="RoySoc"/>
== Second World War == In 1938, in his role as BRS director, Stradling was commissioned by the Home Office to prepare a report on the scientific aspects of civil defence. His report led to the establishment of the Research and Experiments (RE) department of the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Department initially within the Home Office, and later part of the Ministry of Home Security.<ref name="Times3"/> He was appointed head of this new department. It was originally based in Horseferry House in Horseferry Road, Westminster, then moved to Cleland House in nearby John Islip Street, and finally was evacuated to a forestry research laboratory near Princes Risborough. Staff numbers rose from an initial 24 to 110 in the first year.<ref name="IWFBF"/>
Under Stradling's leadership, a coordinated programme of scientific research and practical work on civil defence was developed, including systematic analysis of German bombing raids and their impact. Twelve sections were eventually set up within the Research and Experiments department, of which RE8 was of particular note. This was originally known as the "Appreciation" section, but from 1942 was restructured under the title of "Operational Research". It performed analysis on bombs and their explosive impact, and made recommendations to the public as to how to reduce the risks to them, such as by the design of entrances to bomb shelters and how to minimise injuries from shattered window panes.<ref name="IWFBF"/> Stradling made use of former University of Bristol engineering colleagues, including John Baker. This research had implications for attack operations as well as defence.<ref name="Derman"/> One of the areas that became a part of civilian life at this time was the rollout of Anderson and Morrison air raid shelters. The Anderson shelter was designed before the creation of Research and Experiments, but in due course both shelters were specified, tested and modified by the RE department.<ref name="RoySoc"/>
In 1944 Stradling became chief scientific adviser to the Ministry of Works to advise on post-war rebuilding efforts, particularly non-traditional approaches to housing.<ref name="Times3"/><ref name="Nature"/> This was a pressing matter in terms of national priorities, given the damage caused by the war, the number of troops returning home, and the expectations of the public. Against this was the conservatism of the building industry which was not always responsive to new ways of working. Part of the answer came in the form of prefabricated housing. He advocated the use of steel-framed, prestressed and reinforced concrete techniques.<ref name="ODNB"/>
== Career after 1945 == Stradling's spell as chief scientific adviser was relatively short, due to health issues in early 1949. Consequently the government offered him the role as dean of the Military College of Science in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. This was a part-time role.<ref name="Nature"/>
== Personal life and death == He married Inda (née Pippard) in 1918, they had one son and one daughter.<ref name="Times"/>
Reginald Stradling died on 26 January 1952 at the Military College of Science.<ref name="Times"/><ref name="ODNB"/> His body was cremated at Oxford Crematorium on 30 January 1952, in a service led by a Methodist minister.<ref name="Times2"/>
== Assessment == After his death, a senior civil servant at the Home Office said that Stradling's research and advisory efforts during World War II had immense value in respect of civilian defence against incendiary bombs, and was a pioneering example of operational research. "All who worked with or for him will remember him as a loyal and enthusiastic colleague, an inspiring chief, and a kind friend."<ref name="Times3"/> His loyalty was represented by his friendship and offers of help to Emil Probst, a Germany based engineer whose Jewish ancestry led to him fleeing to the United Kingdom after the rise of the Nazi régime. Probst later became a British citizen. The irony was that Stradling and Probst had both been awarded military crosses from their respective governments for similar service in opposing sides of World War One. Stradling rated Probst's abilities as an academic engineer, and helped Probst with job opportunities.<ref name="Trout"/>
== Recognition == For his service in the First World War, Stradling was awarded the Military Cross, and was twice mentioned in dispatches. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1934 Birthday Honours list, and awarded a knighthood in the 1945 New Year Honours list.<ref name="Times"/>
Stradling was made an honorary associate of RIBA in 1926, in 1939 he was elected to the council of the Institution of Civil Engineers, became vice-president in 1945 and was due to become president in 1949, until ill health meant that he had to withdraw his nomination.<ref name="RoySoc"/>
In 1942 he was awarded the James Alfred Ewing Medal by the Institution of Civil Engineers. He was made a fellow of the Royal Society in 1943. He was awarded the United States' Medal for Merit in 1947, for his research into explosives, which contributed to the United States' development of the atomic bomb.<ref name="Times"/><ref name="Bradford"/> The medal's citation included the following sentences: "He welcomed and trained many young Americans at his Princes Risborough Station in the techniques he had discovered. Sir Reginald's contributions were of invaluable aid to the Allies in time of great peril."<ref name="RoySoc"/>
== References == <!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. --> <references> <ref name="Bradford">{{cite web | title=175 Heroes at Bradford College: Sir Reginald Edward Stradling|location=Bradford | publisher=Bradford College: 175 Heroes | url=https://175heroes.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/reginald_stradling.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260212210551/https://175heroes.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/reginald_stradling.html | archive-date=12 February 2026 | url-status=live|language=en-GB | access-date=15 April 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="Derman">{{cite journal | last1=Christopherson | first1=Derman|author-link=Derman Christopherson| last2=Baughan | first2=E. C. | title=Reminiscences of Operational Research in World War II by Some of Its Practitioners: II | journal=The Journal of the Operational Research Society | publisher=Palgrave Macmillan Journals | volume=43 | issue=6 | year=1992 | issn=01605682 | jstor=2583013 | pages=569–577 | url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/2583013 | access-date=18 April 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="IWFBF">{{cite web |last=Corr|first=Damon | title=WW2 Civil Defence / Non-fire service features | publisher=Isle of Wight Fire Brigades Federation|location=Ryde | date=2024 | url=https://www.iwfbf.co.uk/non-fire-service-features/research-and-experiments-ww2-civil-defence | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251112235829/https://www.iwfbf.co.uk/non-fire-service-features/research-and-experiments-ww2-civil-defence | archive-date=12 November 2025 | url-status=live | access-date=16 April 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="Nature">{{cite journal | title=Military College of Science, Shrivenham: Sir Reginald Stradling, C.B., F.R.S | journal=Nature | volume=164 | issue=4171 | date=8 October 1949 | issn=0028-0836 | doi=10.1038/164605a0 |location=London|language=en-GB |pages=605–605 | url=https://www.nature.com/articles/164605a0 | access-date=15 April 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="ODNB">{{cite book | last=Pippard | first=A. J. S.|author-link=Alfred Pippard | title=Stradling, Sir Reginald Edward (1891–1952), civil engineer | publisher=Oxford University Press | volume=52 | date=23 September 2004 | doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/36342 | url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-36342 | access-date=16 April 2026|language=en-GB | page=}}</ref>
<ref name="RoySoc">{{cite journal | last=Pippard | first=A. J. S. |author-link=Alfred Pippard| title=Reginald Edward Stradling. 1891-1952 | journal=Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society | publisher=The Royal Society | volume=8 | issue=21|location=London | year=1952 | issn=1479571X | jstor=768814|language=en-GB | pages=297–307 | url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/768814 | access-date=15 April 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="Times">{{cite news | title=Sir R. Stradling (obituary) |date=29 January 1952|page=6 |language=en-GB|location=London|newspaper=The Times|publisher=The Times Media Ltd|issue= 52221|issn=0140-0460}}</ref>
<ref name="Times2">{{cite news | title=Funeral: Sir Reginald Stradling |date=31 January 1952|page=6 |language=en-GB|location=London|newspaper=The Times|publisher=The Times Media Ltd|issue= 52223|issn=0140-0460}}</ref>
<ref name="Times3">{{cite news | title=Sir R. Stradling (Home Office comment) |date=6 February 1952|page=6 |language=en-GB|location=London|newspaper=The Times|publisher=The Times Media Ltd|issue= 52227|issn=0140-0460}}</ref>
<ref name="Trout">{{cite journal|title=Professor Emil Heinrich Probst (1877–1950) and the cracking of concrete under repeated loads|journal=The Institute of Concrete Technology Yearbook|date=2017|publication-date=2017–2018|volume=22|first=Edwin A.R. |last=Trout|isbn=978-1-904482-93-2|issn=1366-4824|oclc=173326553|publisher=Institute of Concrete Technology|location=Camberley|language=en-GB|pages=24-26}}</ref>
</references> {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Stradling, Reginald Edward}} Category:People from Bristol Category:1891 births Category:1952 deaths Category:Alumni of the University of Bristol Category:Royal Engineers officers Category:British socialists Category:Academics of the University of Birmingham Category:20th-century British civil servants Category:20th-century British engineers Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath Category:Fellows of the Royal Society Category:Medal for Merit recipients