Alexander David Chalmers Gunn

1912 – 2001

David Gunn was born in Cardiff on 20th of February 1912. He studied Engineering at Cardiff Tech and was awarded an External London degree of Bachelor of Science in 1933. This degree was to be followed 10 years later by a Master of Science in Gas Engineering, with Distinction, from the University of Leeds. One of his many friends said: “he wasn’t born in a house he was born in a boiler” for it was in this field that he made his career over so many years. I am told his wife once remarked, humorously, that had she been an industrial boiler he would have likely paid her more attention.

David was a very respected and revered member of the Combustion Engineering Association for many years. He died in 2001, and the Association decided to honour his memory by instigating the CEA David Gunn Memorial Lecture—the first of which was held in October 2001. The occasion was marked by the award of a special medal. The first recipient was John Mumford, Director of BP.