William Helmore

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title: "William Helmore" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1894-births", "1964-deaths", "royal-artillery-officers", "people-educated-at-blundell's-school", "graduates-of-the-royal-military-academy,-woolwich", "royal-flying-corps-officers", "alumni-of-christ's-college,-cambridge", "conservative-party-(uk)-mps-for-english-constituencies", "english-aerospace-engineers", "uk-mps-1935–1945", "burmah-castrol", "british-army-personnel-of-world-war-i", "royal-air-force-air-commodores", "royal-air-force-personnel-of-world-war-ii", "commanders-of-the-order-of-the-british-empire", "fellows-of-the-royal-aeronautical-society"] description: "British politician" topic_path: "history" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Helmore" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary British politician ::

Air Commodore William Helmore (1 March 1894 – 18 December 1964) was an engineer and Royal Air Force officer who had a varied and distinguished career in scientific research with the Air Ministry and the Ministry of Aircraft Production during the Second World War, as a broadcaster, and for two years as Member of Parliament for Watford 1943–1945.

Early life

Helmore was educated at Blundell's School and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He served in the First World War as a Royal Artillery officer and then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as an observer and pilot. One result of this experience was his book Cavalry of the Air. After the war he went to Christ's College, Cambridge, and obtained a first class (honours) degree in mechanical sciences.

Post WWI

In 1922, Helmore was granted a permanent commission as a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force and developed his interest in scientific research in aviation. He was also involved in the development of aerial refuelling, serving as co-pilot and hose handler on Sir Alan Cobham's pioneering flight from Portsmouth, England, to India on 22 September 1934, also inventing the electrolytic process of forming flame or explosion traps. |country=us |number=2333567 |status=patent |title=Electrolytic process of forming flame or explosion traps |pubdate= |gdate=1943-11-02 |fdate=1940-12-28 |pridate= |invent1=William Helmore |invent2= |assign1= |assign2= |class= In 1931 Helmore was awarded the Groves Prize for Aeronautical Research.

Helmore was promoted squadron leader on 1 October 1928 and wing commander on 1 July 1935, but retired from the RAF at his own request on 1 March 1937 to devote himself to research at Cambridge. He returned to the active list in August 1939 and was promoted honorary group captain on 21 May 1941 and later honorary air commodore.

World War II

As senior scientific adviser to the Chief of Air Staff from 1939, Helmore was chiefly concerned with defeating the night bomber. Helmore with aeronautical engineer L.E. Baynes, nicknamed "The Baron", worked on the development of the Turbinlite, a 2,700 million candela (2.7 Gcd) searchlight fitted in the nose of Douglas Havoc night fighters. The light was intended to be used to illuminate attacking enemy bombers for defending fighters to then shoot down. Unfortunately certain practical difficulties brought the idea to nothing, but much of his work was subsequently incorporated in the Leigh light, an anti-submarine aircraft searchlight, which with the aid of radar was particularly deadly to German U-boats.

For the last four years of the war he was technical adviser to the Ministry of Aircraft Production, and was responsible for a number of other valuable inventions and, in 1942, he was selected as one of the eight members of the Brabazon Committee which sought to identify aircraft for Britain's post war transport needs.

Helmore's contribution, to Britain's war effort was not confined to scientific research. He had earlier broadcast such events as the Schneider Trophy air races and reviews, and during the war his accounts of the RAF's work were heard frequently. His most notable commentary was when he broadcast an eye-witness account of the D-Day landings in Normandy, the first 'live', (recorded live onto transcription disc for transmission later), broadcast from over the invasion fleet on 6 June 1944, reporting overhead from an RAF B-25 Mitchell bomber.

Helmore was Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford 1943–1945.

Post war

After the war Helmore entered industry, being technical director to Castrol, a scientific consultant to ICI and director-general of the Aluminum Association.

In 1947 Helmore was invited by the Minister for Civil Aviation to become the chairman of the Brabazon Committee, to consider the certification of aircraft and approval of equipment. In addition he was the vice-chairman of a committee set up to review the licensing, recruitment and training of civil aviation personnel.

Helmore was a keen yachtsman, owning the schooner Allegro from 1929 to 1963.

Helmore married twice. His obituary in The Times records that he left two sons and three daughters of his first marriage but other reports say he had four children, Peter, Patrick, Peggy and Pamela. Peggie, his eldest daughter married Cuthbert Scott in 1942.

Patents

|country= GB |number= 344806 |status= patent |title= An improved trap for flame resulting from explosion of gases in a conduit |gdate= 1931-03-02 |invent1=William Helmore; Andrew Swan |country= GB |number= 351613 |status= patent |title= Improved means for protecting internal-combustion engines for use on aircraft or other vehicles |gdate= 1931-07-02 |invent1=William Helmore |country= GB |number= 352550 |status= patent |title= Improvements relating to the supply of fuel to internal combustion engines |gdate= 1931-07-13 |invent1=William Helmore |country= GB |number= 354398 |status= patent |title= Improvements relating to fuel for internal combustion engines |gdate= 1931-08-13 |invent1=William Helmore |country= GB |number= 366947 |status= patent |title= Improvements in and methods of using fuels in internal combustion engines |gdate= 1932-02-03 |invent1=William Helmore | number = 1849051 | y = 1932 | m = 03 | d = 08 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Fuel oil for compression ignition systems |country= US |number= 1887305 |status= patent |title= Device for use in association with gases or gas–liquid mixtures, as alpha flame or explosion trap, alpha mixer, alpha flow controller, alpha silencer, or alpha cooler |gdate= 1932-11-08 |invent1=William Helmore; Andrew Swan | number = 1887305 | y = 1932 | m = 11 | d = 08 | inventor = William Helmore and Andrew Swan | title = Device for use in association with gases or gas–liquid mixtures, as a flame or explosion trap, a mixer, a flow controller, a silencer, or a cooler |country= DE |number= 564899 |status= patent |title= Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Brennstoffes fuer Brennkraftmaschinen mit Kompressionszuendung |gdate= 1932-11-24 |invent1=William Helmore |country= GB |number= 394736 |status= patent |title= Improvements in or relating to testing combustible fluids |gdate= 1933-07-06 |invent1=William Helmore |country= GB |number= 398222 |status= patent |title= Improvements relating to lubricating oils |gdate= 1933-09-11 |invent1=William Helmore; Ernest Walter John Mardles |country=CA |number=338398 |status=patent |title= Lubricating Oil |gdate=1934-01-02 |invent1=William Helmore and Ernest Walter John Mardles |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd |country= GB |number= 414410 |status= patent |title= Means for preventing freezing of the induction systems of internal combustion engines |gdate= 1934-08-03 |invent1=Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore |country= GB |number= 417653 |status= patent |title= Improvements in the treatment of fuel spirits |gdate= 1934-10-01 |invent1=Ernest Walter John Mardles; William Helmore |country= GB |number= 423510 |status= patent |title= Improvements relating to preventing freezing of the induction systems of internal combustion engines |gdate= 1935-02-04 |invent1=Andrew Swan; William Helmore |assign1= |country= GB |number= 423938 |status= patent |title= The inhibition of deterioration in olefinic oils and spirits |gdate= 1935-02-11 |invent1=Ernest Walter John Mardles; William Helmore |country= GB |number= 427260 |status= patent |title= Means for testing lubricating oils |gdate= 1935-04-18 |invent1=William Helmore; Alan Arnold Griffith |country= US |number= 2001164 |status= patent |title= Induction system for internal combustion engines |gdate= 1935-05-14 |invent1=Andrew Swan; William Helmore | number = 2001164 | y = 1935 | m = 05 | d = 14 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Induction system for internal combustion engines |country= GB |number= 429682 |status= patent |title= Improved means for regulating the supply of fuel and/or other fluids to internal combustion engines |gdate= 1935-06-04 |invent1=Andrew Swan; Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore |country=CA |number=351407 |status=patent |title=Lubricant Production |pubdate= |gdate=1935-07-02 |invent1=Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd |country= FR |number= 784876 |status= patent |title= Perfectionnements aux dispositifs d'aspiration de moteurs à combustion interne |gdate= 1935-07-27 |invent1=Andrew Swan; William Helmore |country= US |number= 2032279 |status= patent |title= Treatment of lubricating oils |gdate= 1936-02-25 |invent1=Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd | number = 2032279 | y = 1936 | m = 02 | d = 25 | inventor = Alan Arnold Griffith and William Helmore | title = Treatment of lubricating oils |country= GB |number= 446914 |status= patent |title= Improvements in or relating to the exhaust systems of internal combustion engines |gdate= 1936-05-08 |invent1=Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore |country= GB |number= 446915 |status= patent |title= Improvements in relating to the exhaust silencers of internal combustion engines |gdate= 1936-05-08 |invent1= Alan Arnold Griffith; William Helmore |country= GB |number= 446983 |status= patent |title= Ice accretion indicator for aircraft and internal combustion engines |gdate= 1936-05-11 |invent1=Andrew Swan; William Helmore |country= GB |number= 449532 |status= patent |title= Means for automatically preventing detrimental ice formation in aircraft |gdate= 1936-06-22 |invent1=Andrew Swan; William Helmore |country= US |number= 2045389 |status= patent |title= Induction system for internal combustion engines |gdate= 1936-06-23 |invent1=William Helmore; Alan Arnold Griffith |assign1=HM Hobson Aircraft & Motor | number = 2045389 | y = 1936 | m = 06 | d = 23 | inventor = William Helmore and Alan Arnold Griffith | title = Induction system for internal combustion engines |country= GB |number= 473288 |status= patent |title= An improved internal-combustion engine |gdate= 1937-10-08 |invent1=William Helmore |country= FR |number= 825380 |status= patent |title= Perfectionnements apportés aux moteurs à combustion interne |gdate= 1938-03-02 |invent1=William Helmore and Alan Arnold Griffith | number = RE20775 | y = 1938 | m = 06 | d = 28 | inventor = Andrew Swan and William Helmore | title = System for preventing detrimental ice formation |country= US |number= 2137941 |status= patent |title= Internal combustion engine |gdate= 1938-11-22 |invent1=William Helmore and Alan Arnold Griffith | number = 2137941 | y = 1938 | m = 11 | d = 22 | inventor = William Helmore and Alan Arnold Griffith | title = Internal combustion engine |country= GB |number= 510244 |status= patent |title= Improved lubricating oils |gdate= 1939-07-28 |invent1=William Helmore |country= GB |number= 512689 |status= patent |title= Improvements in plate heat exchangers for fluids |gdate= 1939-09-22 |invent1=William Helmore |country= GB |number= 526269 |status= patent |title= Improvements in air speed indicators |gdate= 1940-09-13 |invent1=William Helmore |country= GB |number= 530824 |status= patent |title= Improvements in flame or explosion traps |gdate= 1940-12-23 |invent1=William Helmore |country= US |number= 2229740 |status= patent |title= Air speed indicator |gdate= 1941-01-28 |invent1=William Helmore | number = 2229740 | y = 1941 | m = 01 | d = 28 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Speed Indicator |country= FR |number= 865601 |status= patent |title= Perfectionnements aux indicateurs de vitesse de l'air |gdate= 1941-05-29 |invent1=William Helmore |country= GB |number= 531610 |status= patent |title= Improvements in flame or explosion traps |gdate= 1941-01-08 |invent1=William Helmore |country= GB |number= 542592 |status= patent |title= Improvements relating to the control of the temperature of charges supplied to internal combustion engines |gdate= 1942-01-19 |invent1=William Helmore |country=GB |number=548062 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to flame or explosion traps |gdate=1942-09-23 |invent1=William Helmore |country=CA |number=414919 |status=patent |title=Engine charge temperature control device |gdate=1943-08-31 |invent1=William Helmore |assign1=Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd |country=US |number=2333567 |status=patent |title=Electrolytic process of forming flame or explosion traps |gdate=1943-11-02 |invent1=William Helmore | number = 2333567 | y = 1943 | m = 11 | d = 02 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Electrolytic process of forming flame or explosion traps |country=CA |number=418103 |status=patent |title=Flame or Explosion Trap |gdate=1944-02-01 |invent1=William Helmore |country=US |number=2372272 |status=patent |title=Apparatus for controlling temperature of boosted charge of internal-combustion engines |gdate=1945-03-27 |invent1=William Helmore |assign1=Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd | number = 2372272 | y = 1945 | m = 03 | d = 27 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Apparatus for controlling temperature of boosted charge of internal-combustion engines |country=US |number=2391311 |status=patent |title=Lubricating composition |gdate=1945-12-18 |invent1=William Helmore |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd | number = 2391311 | y = 1945 | m = 12 | d = 18 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Lubricating composition |country= GB |number= 574970 |status= patent |title= An improved method and means for intercepting night flying hostile aircraft |gdate= 1946-01-29 |invent1=Frederick Sidney Cotton; William Helmore |country= GB |number= 575093 |status= patent |title= Improvements in or relating to searchlights for use in aircraft |gdate= 1946-02-04 |invent1=Frederick Sidney Cotton; William Helmore |country= GB |number= 576118 |status= patent |title= Improvements in or relating to navigation lights for night-flying aircraft |gdate= 1946-03-20 |invent1=Frederick Sidney Cotton; William Helmore |country=GB |number=576214 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to the mounting of searchlights on aircraft |gdate=1946-03-25 |invent1=William Helmore |country=GB |number=579159 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to submersible watercraft driven by internal-combustion engines |gdate=1946-07-25 |invent1=William Helmore |country=US |number=2413350 |status=patent |title=Air intake pipe for motor watercraft |gdate=1946-12-31 |invent1=William Helmore | number = 2413350 | y = 1946 | m = 12 | d = 31 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Air intake pipe for motor watercraft |country=US |number=2551124 |status=patent |title=Lubricating compositions and additives therefor |gdate=1951-05-01 |invent1=William Helmore |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd | number = 2551124 | y = 1951 | m = 05 | d = 01 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Lubricating compositions and additives therefor |country=DE |number=832029 |status=patent |title=Mineraloelschmiermittel |gdate=1952-03-24 |invent1=William Helmore |country=GB |number=743201 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to heat exchangers |gdate=1956-01-11 |invent1=William Helmore |country=GB |number=745914 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to heat exchangers |gdate=1956-03-07 |invent1=William Helmore |country=GB |number=745936 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to corrugated sheet material |gdate=1956-03-07 |invent1=William Helmore |country=CA |number=560166 |status=patent |title=Lubricating compositions and additives therefor |gdate=1958-07-08 |invent1=William Helmore |assign1=CCWakefield &Co Ltd |country=GB |number=851758 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to means for collecting litter |pubdate= |gdate=1960-10-19 |invent1=William Helmore | number = 3309795 | y = 1961 | m = 07 | d = 12 | inventor = William Helmore | title = Mechanisms for simulating the movement of vehicles |country=FR |number=1301003 |status=patent |title=Perfectionnements apportés aux agencements de simulation des mouvements des véhicules |gdate=1962-08-10 |invent1=William Helmore |country=GB |number=918705 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to mechanisms for simulating the movement of vehicles |gdate=1963-02-20 |invent1=William Helmore |country=CA |number=676942 |status=patent |title=Mechanisms for simulating the movement of vehicles |gdate=1963-12-31 |invent1=William Helmore |country=GB |number=979495 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to mechanisms for simulating the movement of vehicles |gdate=1965-01-06 |invent1=William Helmore |country=GB |number=1004005 |status=patent |title=Improvements in or relating to means for reducing the effect on the occupant of a vehicle of changes in the velocity of the vehicle |gdate=1965-09-08 |invent1=Air Commodore William Helmore

References

• Obituary of Air Commodore W. Helmore, The Times, 20 January 1964 (pg. 14; Issue 55913; col C)

References

1. Proceedings of the Chemical Society. May 1936.
2. (November 2025)
3. Proceedings of the Chemical Society. June 1942. "The congratulations of the Society have been conveyed to Group Captain W. Helmore on his receiving the honour of C.B.E."
4. [http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.aspx?pdf=43237&geotype=London&gpn=1122&type=ArchivedIssuePage&all=helmore&exact=&atleast=&similar= London Gazette issue 43237]
5. [http://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/75yrs_inflight_refueling.pdf USAF:75 Years of Inflight Refueling] {{webarchive. link. (30 October 2008)
6. McCarthy, John. (1993). "Frederick Sidney Cotton (1894–1969)".
7. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01zkdry Historic D-Day Reports broadcast on BBC Radio]
8. "Foglio".
9. [http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=33634 Church Times, obituary for the Revd Cuthbert Scott]
10. [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/capt-the-rev-cuthbert-scott-439030.html Independent, obituary for the Revd Cuthbert Scott]{{dead link. (August 2021)
11. [http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersS.html Unit Histories]

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