Alaric Cecil Barr
Alaric Cecil Barr (1892-1949)
1950 Obituary [1]
"Major ALARIC Cecil, BARR, R.E.M.E., had a varied engineering career. He was born in 1892 in Durban, South Africa, and served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Piercy and Company, Birmingham, engineers, from 1909 to 1912. In the meantime he studied at the Central Technical School and at the University of Birmingham. After a year as a learner with Messrs. E. C. and James Keay, Birmingham, constructional engineers, he went, in 1914, to South Africa, where he held the position of assistant engineer to the Ottawa Sugar Estate and was concerned with the design and erection of plant.
In 1916 he was granted a commission in the Royal Garrison Artillery and saw service in France, Belgium, and Germany. On demobilization in 1920 with the rank of lieutenant he was engaged for a period on the task of supervising the demolition of dangerous shells and explosives in France. After a short appointment as engineer draughtsman to the Rio Tinto Company, Ltd., in Spain, he went to Paris and was employed as assistant engineer to Messrs. Benson and Vlies, engineers and agents for British textile machinery, until 1923, when he joined the staff of the Union Miniere du Haut Katanga, Brussels, in a similar capacity and was engaged on the design of hydro-electric and concentration plant for the production of copper. After holding this position for thirteen years he became chief assistant to the head of the mining department of Messrs. Fraser and Chalmers, Ltd., Erith, Kent, with whom he remained until his death, which occurred on 6th August 1950.
During the 1939-45 war he was technical liaison officer to the American Forces and was decorated with the American Bronze Star. Major Barr was elected a Graduate of the Institution in 1913, and was transferred to Associate Membership ten years later. His promotion to the rank of major, R.E.M.E., dated from 1945."