Alfred Theodore Salenger (1879–1961) was the first Australian awarded the Order of the British Empire for his role in inventing a bomb-thrower for use in trench warfare in World War I. ^{[1] [2]} He was a designer and a partner in the firm of Messrs. Salenger Brothers - wholesale jewellers, of George Street, Sydney. ^{[2] [3]}

Early life

Salenger was born in Victoria, Australia in 1879 to warehouseman Julius Salenger and his wife Evelyn nee Beaver. ^[4] His grandfather Louis Beaver (previously Bibergeil) was an inventor and proprietor of jewellery stores in Manchester in England. ^{[5] [6]} An uncle was the architect Isidor George Beaver. Constance Beaver, an aunt, was the mother of Harry Nathan, 1st Baron Nathan. ^[7] Salenger's brother Herbert Michael Salenger was a partner of the firm of Messrs. Biddulph and Salenger, solicitors, of Sydney. ^[2]

Career

Salenger was a partner in the firm of Messrs.Salenger Bros. - wholesale jewellers, of George Street Sydney. ^[2]

In 1916 he began collaborating with Lieut. W. H. Gregory Geake who had invented an improved bomb-thrower for use in trench warfare. ^{[2] [8]} Together they embarked from Sydney on the RMS Kaisar-i-Hind, arriving in England on 1 February 1917. They worked on many inventions for the A.I.F. Research Section of the British Munitions Inventions Department at Claremont Park, Esher. ^[9] The men of this section became known as the "Safety Seconds", for putting results before their own safety. ^[10] Salenger was responsible for restricting a fire which occurred while carrying out experiments, but there was an explosion that severed his fingers and badly injured the other arm. He was hospitalised for 2 months. ^[1] He was cared for at Kingston Infirmary in Surrey, alongside military casualties. ^[11] Subsequently Colonel Henry Edward Goold-Adams, Comptroller of Munitions Inventions, wrote to him saying that "the injury you have unfortunately sustained is just as much a credit to yourself and those that come after you as if the loss of your fingers had occurred in the field by the action of the enemy". ^[2]

Salenger Bros. were the Australian agents for the National Diamond Factories (Bernard Oppenheimer), Ltd., of London. Sir Bernard Oppenheimer established a scheme for training disabled war veterans, many of whom were amputees, in the skills of diamond cutting and polishing. ^[12]

Order of the British Empire

In the 1918 New Year Honours Salenger was awarded the Order of the British Empire for "courage and self-sacrifice in volunteering for work on dangerous experiments, in the course of which he lost four fingers". The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Salenger was the first Australian to receive the award. ^{[1] [2]} He received his award in Kingston Town Hall on 29 May 1918 by Surrey’s Lord Lieutenant Lord Ashcombe (Henry Cubitt). ^[1]

Family

Salenger married Ursula May Hutchison in 1912 in Sydney, and they divorced in 1931. ^[13] In 1947 he married Maud Zell at Darlinghurst, Sydney.

Salenger died on 5 April 1961, aged 81, and is buried at the Rookwood Necropolis in Sydney. ^{[14] [15]}

References

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