Beattie, John Humphrey, c1928 - 2014
Dates
- Existence: c1928
Biography
John Beattie joined the navy as a young man, but was forced to to leave after 12 years's service due to deteriorating eyesight. After leaving the navy Beattie maintained his close naval links and became the unofficial Naval Archivist for the Special and Direct Entry System (1913-1955).
In 1957 he joined Decca Radar Ltd where he worked with engineers to create electronic products that would create safety at sea. After his retirement from Racal Marine (the successor to Decca) in 1993, he went on to work as a consultant on many different products such as radar, electronic charts, ship's black boxes, satellite communications and navigation and night vision equipment, finally ceasing work in 2000 aged 72.
During his career Beattie collaborated closely with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Electronics Council (lEC), where he helped to develop more than 25 navigational safety operational standards and also acted as the Comite Internationale Radio Maritime (CIRM) Radar Rapporteur. In 1999 he was the first person to be awarded Honorary Life Membership of the CIRM. He produced 45 professional papers and many more unpublished papers on radio navigation, charting and marine electronics. He was also a member and Treasurer of the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (lALA) for a number of years.
John Beattie died on 26 June 2014.
(Information taken from the CIRM website, March 2024).