Chemical Defence Research Department

WO 33/1153, Annual Report (1927) WO 33/1204, Annual Report (1928) WO 33/1231, Annual Report (1929) WO 33/1272-1568, Annual Reports of Chemical Defence Research Department (1930-1939). These reports are located in the PRO (now the National Archives) in O and A papers W033. 

MI, Folder 2A/I, Exhibit MNJ/20/2, Extract from Third Annual Report of Chemical Defence Research Department (CDRD), March 1923, Exposure of Personnel to Gas for Experimental Purposes , p. 129. 

J. Davidson Pratt, Esq, OBE, MA, BSc, FIC Assistant Secretary of the Chemical Advisory and Chemical Warfare Committees, i August 1916—31 December 1918 Secretary, Chemical Warfare Committee Controller, Chemical Warfare Committee, i January 1919—30 June 1923 Controller, Chemical Warfare Research Department, i July 1923—31 December 1925 Chief Superintendent, Chemical Warfare Research Department, i January 1926—30 September 1928. Davidson Pratt was later promoted to Controller, Chemical Defence Development, in the MoS. 

Rydon, Norman (p. 243, Plate 36) born in 1912 studied chemistry at London (B.Sc. 1931, Ph.D. 1933, D.Sc. 1938), D. Phil., Oxford 1939. Chemical Defence Experimental Section, 1940-1945. From 1945-1947 Member of Scientific Staff of the Lister Institute, then Reader at Birkbeck College, London, until 1949 and from 1949-1952 Reader at Imperial College, London. Professor at Manchester College of Science and Technology 1952-1957, Professor and Head of Department, Exeter University 1957-1977. Rydon s work outside of peptide research was on natural substances peptide topics at Exeter included cysteine peptides, sequential polypeptides, synthetic studies of ferredoxins. Chlorination followed by starchh-potassium iodide for the detection of peptides is known as Rydon-Smith reagent. 

Barton, W.H., "Research, Development and Training in Chemical and Biological Defence Within the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces", DND Publication Catalogue No. D2-79/1989E, Canadian Publishing Centre, Ottawa, Canada. 31 December 1988. 

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