Edward Duckworth War Department Employee WW2

[Pennines]

Hello Everyone,

I have put this query under 'Armed Forces' - although I am not sure if this is the correct category.

Edward Duckworth was born in Lancashire in 1901 annd died back in that county in 1983. The family rumour was that he 'did something strange during the war'! This was possibly because he wasn't an ordinary soldier.

On the 1939 Register he is in Reading at what appears to be a normal house with several other people - 144, Caversham Rd Reading. His occupation is something like 'Principal Viewer - GI(?)S, War Dept, Didcot.

I will try to put an image of the entry from the 1939 Register below. Is anyone able to tell me what this job actually was please?

[mazi]

Given Didcots role as a huge ordnance depot, this quote, although American in origin may help,

"Ordnance viewer there to view and prove gun materials as they were received"

Presumably he was a civil servant,  " Principal" being a grade in the civil service.

I may be corrected in this by others 

Mike

[MaxD]

I for one would not correct you Mike.  Principal is a relatively senior rank in the civil service now known as Grade 7, equivalent to full Colonel in the army.

MaxcD

[Pennines]

Thank you so very much both of you. I had no idea that 'Principal' was a Civil Service Grade. (I was a Civil Servant' myself for many years, but never heard of that).

Many thanks again - I really appreciate your help.

[MaxD]

http://www.civilservant.org.uk/information-grades_and_roles.html

 

[Pennines]

Max -- a very informative site. Many thanks for that.