Charles F. Goodeve facts for kids

Sir Charles Frederick Goodeve (born February 21, 1904 – died April 7, 1980) was a brilliant Canadian chemist and a pioneer in operations research. This field uses science and math to solve complex problems. During World War II, he played a super important role. He helped create the "hedgehog" weapon to fight submarines. He also invented "degaussing" to protect ships from naval mines. He was honored with the OBE and became a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Early Life and Education

Charles Goodeve was born in Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada. His father was a church leader. Charles spent his early years in Stonewall, Manitoba. When he was about 10, his family moved to Winnipeg.

He went to Kelvin High School and the University of Manitoba. In 1925, he passed his science exams in chemistry and physics. He earned a master's degree in electrochemistry in 1927. That same year, he won a special scholarship. This allowed him to study at University College London in England. He worked with a famous scientist named Fred Donnan.

In 1930, Goodeve became a lecturer in Physical Chemistry. He became a Reader in 1937. He earned his higher doctorate degree from the University of London in 1936. This was for his important work with Donnan. In 1940, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists.

Helping in World War II

While living in Winnipeg, Goodeve had joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve. In England, he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1936.

In 1939, he started working at HMS Vernon. His job was to find ways to stop dangerous mines. These mines were a big threat to ships.

Fighting Mines: Degaussing

Goodeve developed a method called "Double L" for minesweeping magnetic mines. These mines exploded when a ship's magnetic field passed over them. Later, he invented "degaussing". This method reduced a ship's magnetic field. It made ships "invisible" to magnetic mines.

Goodeve even created the word "degaussing". It came from the "gauss" unit. Germans used this unit to measure magnetic fields. They named it after a German scientist, Carl Friedrich Gauss. Goodeve also developed a related method called "wiping". This quickly protected ships. For example, during the Dunkirk evacuation, the British "wiped" 400 ships in just four days. This helped save many lives.

The Hedgehog Weapon

In 1940, Goodeve helped the British produce the Swiss-designed Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. This powerful gun was needed to protect naval and merchant ships from air attacks. His team was renamed the Directorate of Miscellaneous Weapons Development (D.M.W.D.).

His group then focused on antisubmarine warfare. They developed the "hedgehog". This was a special weapon that fired many small bombs. These bombs exploded when they hit a U-boat (German submarine). The "hedgehog" was very effective. To make sure the project continued, Goodeve arranged a demonstration for Prime Minister Winston Churchill. By the end of the war, the "hedgehog" had helped sink about fifty U-boats. For his amazing work, Goodeve received the O.B.E. award.

In 1942, Vice Admiral Sir William Wake-Walker gave Goodeve a big job. He became Assistant Controller Research and Development. This meant he oversaw many of the Navy's research projects.

At the end of the war, Goodeve was made a knight. He also received the U.S. Medal of Freedom.

After the War

After the war, Goodeve became the Director of the British Iron and Steel Research Association (B.I.S.R.A.). This organization worked on improving how iron and steel were made. He was awarded the Bessemer Gold Medal in 1962. This is a special award for people who do great things in the iron and steel industry.

After retiring in 1969, Goodeve continued his interest in operational research. He even appeared on a BBC TV show in 1977. It was called The Secret War. He talked about his work on the "Double L Sweep" for mines.

Later Life

Charles Goodeve developed Parkinson's disease. This illness contributed to his death in 1980.