Cecil Fenton (1884-1944)
1946 Obituary [1]
Captain CECIL FENTON, M.B.E., was associated with the Societe Anonyme John Cockerill, gas engineers, of Seraing, Belgium, during most of his career, and at the time of his death, which occurred at Burton-on-Trent on 28th September 1944, had represented the firm's interests in this country in the capacity of technical adviser and outside engineer for twenty-five years.
He was born in 1884 and after serving his apprenticeship, from 1901 to 1903, with Messrs. Richardson, Westgarth and Company, Ltd., continued in their employment as a draughtsman for a further two years. From 1907 to 1911 he occupied a similar position at the works of John Cockerill in Belgium and also acted subsequently as assistant to the chief designer, being responsible for the design of high-powered gas-driven air compressors.
Four years later, however, he returned to Messrs. Richardsons, Westgarth and Company as assistant chief draughtsman. In 1915 he was granted a commission in the infantry but transferring later to the Royal Engineers was attached to the general staff and rose to the rank of captain. He was twice mentioned in dispatches and received the award of the M.B.E. He also invented the Fenton automatic target, a device adopted by the War Office.
During his long association with the Societe John Cockerill, which he resumed in 1919, Captain Fenton was responsible for the erection and starting of numerous large gas plants in this country and on the Continent. He had been a Member of the Institution since 1923.