George William Curtis
George William Curtis (c1912-1945)
1946 Obituary [1]
Major GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS, R.E.M.E., who died on active service in Burma on 12th October 1945, at the age of thirty-three, was elected a Student of the Institution in 1937 and was transferred to Graduateship in 1938, and to Associate Membership in 1942. He received his technical training (which extended over a period of ten years), at the Handsworth Technical College, and served his apprenticeship from 1926 to 1930 with the Midland Fan Company, in Birmingham.
After three years' experience as journeyman with the Electro-Mechanical Brake Company and Construction, Ltd., he joined Messrs. Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd., for whom he was employed in a similar capacity. Later he was placed in charge of patterns, assembly of components and experimental work, and in 1939 was made an assistant superintendent of production.
In 1941 he was commissioned in the R.A.O.C., and was transferred to the R.E.M.E. in the following year. Proceeding overseas he acted as technical adviser to the C.O. of a regiment of Royal Artillery, with responsibility for the maintenance of mechanical transport and guns. Subsequently he was posted to the staff of the R.E.M.E. training establishment at Arborfield, Berks. Major Curtis was also assistant lecturer in mechanical engineering and metal plate at the Birmingham Central Technical College during 1938 and 1939.