Leech, Thomas David James (1902 - 1973)

Summary

Thomas Leech, CBE BSc BE was a Lecturer in Civil Engineering, University of Sydney and was the foundation Geoffrey Sulman Memorial Lecturer in Aerodynamics. In 1940, he was appointed Professor of Engineering at Auckland University College, New Zealand, and before and during the Second World War, was heavily involved with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in Auckland and was awarded a CBE for his services.

From 1950 to 1967, he was Engineer-in-charge, Scientific Services Division of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority, establishing and managing the research laboratory and all its associated research programs. During the 1960s, he was also an advocate of the use of diffusion blasting - the use of underground nuclear explosion technology - and their potential to create inland reservoirs and was involved with the "Australian Plowshare Committee" associated with the Australian Atomic Energy Commission.

He is commemorated by the "Professor TDJ Leech Study Area" at the University of Auckland, and in a Heritage NSW "Blue Plaque" at the SMEC Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Cooma NSW.

Details

Chronology

1921

Career event - Student Member (StudIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1923

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc(Hons)), University of Sydney

1924

Lecture - Presented "The Application of X-Rays to Engineering Problems", Sydney Division, Institution of Engineers Australia

1925

Education - Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering), University of Sydney

1926

Career event - Junior Member (JrIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1926 - 1939

Career position - Lecturer, Civil engineering, University of Sydney

1928

Career event - Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1931

Career event - Book published "The principles of flight, or, An Introduction to the study of aerodynamics"

1934

Career position - Foundation Geoffrey Sulman Memorial Lecturer in Aerodynamics, University of Sydney

1935

Award - Warren Memorial Prize 1935, Institution of Engineers Australia

1940 - 1948

Career position - Associated with development projects for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research

1940 - 1950

Career position - Professor of engineering, Auckland University, New Zealand

1947

Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - New Zealand

1950 - 1967

Career position - Engineer-in-Charge, Scientific Services Division, Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority

1958

Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1968

Career event - Fellow (FIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia [Former Members were designated Fellows on this date.]

1969

Award - Warren Memorial Prize 1969, Institution of Engineers Australia

1973

Life event - Cremated, Norwood Park, Mitchell ACT

Related entries

Archival resources

National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection

• Thomas David James Leech - Records, 1930 - 1940, MS 4837; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details

University of Sydney, Archives

• Thomas David James Leech - Records, 1947 - 1973, P 59; University of Sydney, Archives. Details

Published resources

Books

• Leech, T. D. J.; Hart, K. R. M., The principles of flight, or, An Introduction to the study of aerodynamics (Sydney, NSW: Commonwealth Publications Limited, 1931), 218 pp. Details

Conference Papers

• Dwyer, M. R., 'Engineers' Papers: An Undervalued Historical Source', in Fifth National Conference on Engineering Heritage 1990: Interpreting Engineering Heritage; Preprints of Papers (Perth, Western Australia: Institution of Engineers, Australia, Western Australian Division, 1990), pp. 29-34.. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.623644955225119. Details
• Leech, T. D. J.; Pender, E. B., 'Experience in grouting rock bolts', in International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering (5th : 1961 : Paris, France) ().. Details

Journal Articles

• 'Prizes of the Institution [Warren Memorial Prize 1935; Institution of Engineers Prize 1937]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 9 (1937), 339. Warren Memorial Prize 1935, awarded to Mr T D J Leech, BSc BE AMIEAust, for his paper entitled 'Technical Investigations by Means of Models, with Special Reference to Fluid Mechanics Problems'. Details
• Institution of Engineers Australia, 'Eighteenth Annual Report [1937]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 10 (1938), 182-. 'Prizes - Warren Memorial Prize (1935 award), to Mr T D J Leech, BSc BE AMIEAust, Sydney Division', p.184. Details
• Leech, T. D. J., 'The Determination of Wind Structure with Regard to Vertical Currents', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 5 (1933), 66-. Details
• Leech, T. D. J., 'The Determination of Stresses in Space Frames', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 6 (1934), 66-. Details
• Leech, T. D. J., 'Technical Investigations by Means of Models with Special Reference to Fluid Mechanics' Problems', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 7 (1935), 265-281, Discussion J. v.8, 1936, p.258-. Details
• Leech, T. D. J., 'Role of science in the Snowy Mountains Scheme', Australian Journal of Science, 16 (3) (1953), 79-86. Details
• Leech, T. D. J., 'The Snowy Mountains Scheme and the Application of Scientific Services', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 30 (1958), 99-. Details
• Leech, T. D. J., 'The Training and Use of Sub-Professional Staff', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 31 (1959), 247-. Details
• Leech, T. D. J., 'Diffusion Blasting and its Potential for the Development of Australia's Inland Surface Water Resources', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 41 (1969), 165-173. Details
• Leech, T. D. J.; Rennie, E. J. C., 'Aeronautical Engineering Training and Research in Australia', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 9 (1937), 247-, Discussion pp.283,322. Details

Reports

• Institution of Engineers Australia, Fifty-first Annual Report [1970] (1971), 7 pp. 'Prizes - Warren Memorial Prize (1969 Award), to Professor T D J Leech, FIEAust, for his paper entitled "Diffusion Blasting and its Potential for the Development of Australia's Inland Surface Water Resources"', p.3. Details

Resources

• 'Heritage NSW Blue Plaque at SMEC Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, 220-226 Sharp Street, Cooma NSW', Blue Plaques program, 2021, https://blueplaques.nsw.gov.au/blue-plaques/locations/thomas-leech. Details
• 'Leech, Thomas David James', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1476320. Details

See also

• McArthur, Ian, 'Chapter 16: Aeronautical engineering' in Sydney: from settlement to city: an engineering history of Sydney, Don Fraser, ed. (Crows Nest, New South Wales: Engineers Australia, 1989), pp. 299-318. Details