John Ashworth Ratcliffe
John Ashworth Ratcliffe (1902-1987), M.A., A.M.I.E.E.
1902 Born in Bacup[1]
1929 Had "taken command of the Survey Company of the O.T.C. and was anxious to get sound ranging started."[2]
1929 Was Bragg's guest at a meeting of the Field Survey Association (sound ranging), presumably at the Royal Institution.
By 1939 was at Sidney Sussex Coll., Cambridge. He was a University Lecturer in Physics and author of papers on the Propagation of Wireless Waves.
1945 Alwyn Douglas Crow wrote to Sir Lawrence Bragg suggesting that V2 rockets could be used to send scientific instruments into the upper atmosphere; Bragg suggested Ratcliffe get in touch with Wheeler around 15th June. Hw would keep Bragg in touch with their plans and ensure the Cavendish Laboratory can collaborate in any programme of trials. Bragg passed the suggestion to Ratcliffe who talked to Crow about it, and about which institutes would be involved.[3]
1966 Elected president of The Institution of Electrical Engineers for session 1966-67. He was formerly director of the Radio and Space Research Station of the Science Research Council.[4]
1987 Died in Cambridge[5]