George Martin Lees facts for kids

George Martin Lees (born April 16, 1898 – died January 5, 1955) was a British soldier and a very important geologist. He was known for his amazing work mapping oil fields, especially in the Middle East. He also helped find oil in Britain.

Early Life and Military Adventures

George Martin Lees was born in Dundalk, Ireland. When he was young, he went to St. Andrew's College. In 1915, he joined the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich to train for World War I. He became an officer in the Royal Artillery and fought in France.

Later, he joined the Royal Flying Corps, which was an early air force. He won the Military Cross for his bravery. He also spent time in Egypt and Mesopotamia (which is now Iraq). There, he won another award called the Distinguished Flying Cross. Once, his plane was shot down behind enemy lines near Kirkuk. He had to leave his plane and walk about 30 miles (48 km) through the hills at night to get back to safety.

After the war, Lees worked as an advisor in a place called Halabja in Southern Kurdistan. This area was set up to prevent wars between different groups. In 1919, he advised a local leader, Sheikh Mahmoud. But the Sheikh turned against the British. Lees was trapped in his house by many armed men. He managed to escape using a clever trick and rode away on horseback. Ten years later, he met a local leader who told him he had almost shot him during that escape!

Discovering Oil Around the World

Exploring Persia

In 1921, Lees left the military and studied at the Royal School of Mines. Even without a formal geology degree, he joined the Anglo-Persian Oil Company as a geologist. He went back to the Middle East in 1922.

In 1924, he and another geologist, Hugo De Böckh, explored south-west Persia (which is now Iran). They found several places where oil could be found. Once, Lees went for a swim in the Karun river and was swept away by the strong current. His friends thought he was gone. But Lees showed up later! He had used his cork hat to stay afloat by filling it with air and holding it under the water. People said his hat saved him and changed the future of the oil company, which later became British Petroleum.

Mapping Oman

From 1925 to 1926, Lees explored Oman. His maps and reports were so good that they were used for many years. He studied the Hajar Mountains and wondered how huge pieces of rock from the ocean floor, called the Semail Ophiolite, ended up on top of the mountains. He suggested that a massive "thrust sheet" of rock had been pushed over the land. This idea was very advanced for his time. Later, with the discovery of plate tectonics, scientists realized he was mostly right. They understood that as continents moved, a huge slab of ocean crust was pushed over the land millions of years ago.

Bahrain's Oil Puzzle

After Oman, Lees went to Bahrain in 1926. He thought there might be some oil there, but he didn't think it would be a lot compared to other places. He was influenced by his colleague, De Böckh, who also doubted Bahrain's oil potential. Lees famously said he would "drink any commercial oil found in Bahrain" because he was so sure there wouldn't be much! However, oil was discovered in Bahrain a few years later, proving him wrong.

Qatar's Potential

Next, Lees visited Qatar to stop another company from getting oil rights there. He explored some areas and correctly identified the types of rocks. He got permission to explore Qatar for two years. He didn't visit the most promising spot, Jebel Dukhan, and was generally not very hopeful about finding oil. But he did say that if Bahrain found oil, Qatar might too. When oil was indeed found in Bahrain in 1933, the Anglo-Persian Oil Company started serious talks for Qatar's oil rights and got them in 1935.

Becoming Chief Geologist

From 1928 to 1930, Lees traveled to Germany, Canada, Egypt, and the United States, checking on oil prospects. On November 1, 1930, at just 32 years old, he became the Chief Geologist of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. In the 1930s, he was in charge of mapping all the company's land and choosing the best areas for oil exploration. This was the first complete survey of Persia and laid the groundwork for all future knowledge about its geology.

Finding Oil in the UK

In the late 1930s, Lees started the search for oil in the United Kingdom. While they didn't find huge amounts during his lifetime, they did find some oil at Eakring in Nottinghamshire. This oil field was very helpful during World War II. His work also helped discover new coal fields.

World War II Efforts

During World War II, Lees helped the government with fuel supplies. He traveled with an American geologist, Everette Lee DeGolyer, to Persia in 1944. De Golyer predicted that the Middle East would become the most important place for oil production in the world.

Awards and Recognitions

George Martin Lees received many awards for his important work. In 1943, he was given the Bigsby Medal. In 1948, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a great honor for scientists. From 1951 to 1952, he was the president of the Geological Society of London, the first industrial geologist to hold this position. In 1954, he received the Sidney Powers Memorial Award, the highest American geology medal, which had never before been given to someone not from America.

In 1953, Lees gave a speech where he described his love for geology. He talked about seeing amazing landscapes all over the world, from Ireland to Australia, and how they showed the incredible forces that shaped our planet.

Personal Life and Later Years

George Martin Lees married Hilda Andrews in London in 1931. They had one son, born in 1933.

Lees' busy career took a toll on his health. He retired to Essex in 1953. Sadly, he passed away in London on January 5, 1955.