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OBITUARIES

DR WILLIAM LESLIE MERCER

BSC PHD CENG FIGEM FIMMM

Academy of Engineering in 1985. He
also found time to be the President of
IGE (as IGEM was known then) for the
year 1984/85 and of the Institute of
Metals in 1990/92.
Les’ passion for research
management was put to use in the late WILLIAM RUSSELL
1980s to consolidate British Gas’ three GRADE: EngTech
specialised research and development SECTION: Midlands
stations into a more viable central AGE: 65
research organisation. The success
of this reorganisation lead to the new DAVID DOUGLAS WAY
Gas Research Centre at Loughborough, GRADE: Chartered
which was duly floated into successful SECTION: South West
commercial ownership. AGE: 88
His retirement from British Gas in
November 1993 allowed Les to pursue BERNARD TWIDDY
other interests, yet he remained GRADE: Chartered
active in the Midlands branches of SECTION: London, Southern & Eastern
DR WILLIAM LESLIE ‘LES’ MERCER the professional institutions where AGE: 90
joined the gas industry in 1965 as a his lifetime of success in high-end
distinguished expert of some 10 years engineering, science and technical HOWARD HIER
standing on engineering materials, management was shared for the benefit GRADE: Fellow CEng
particularly on advanced nuclear of the next generation. SECTION: Midlands
fuel materials. He was a founding Always of an affable nature, and with AGE: 90
member of a new gas industry team of a boundless enthusiasm and readiness
experts, formed to spearhead the then to discuss important topics, Les leaves
forthcoming conversion of the coal- his former colleagues with many fond
based UK gas industry to natural gas. memories. He was the longest serving materials engineering, science and gas
His attendance at his first gas director in the British Gas Research technologies. The safety and reliability
industry conference two days after and Development Division. Former of the gas transportation network he
joining the industry marked the colleagues will be saddened by his promoted is still second to none and is
beginning of a career spent at the passing, but will also recognise his now set to enjoy a hydrogen future in
leading edge of gas and he went on to contribution to the industry thanks part due to Les’ efforts. He died in 2021
contribute to and produce numerous to a very productive life spent in at the age of 89.
papers of his own.
By 1967, the Gas Research Group DR LES MERCER WELCOMES
was established at the new Engineering DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AT A LUNCHEON
Research Station (ERS) at Killingworth,
Newcastle upon Tyne, and Les changed
direction to address the pending
design and performance issues of high
pressure gas transportation pipelines.
His group undertook work that would
be of critical importance in terms of the
safety and reliability of the new natural
gas supply. He became Station Director
in 1978 and a period of stability
followed over the next decade.
In his own words, Les was also the
external face of ERS; always active in
local, national and international bodies
and, in recognition of his outstanding
and wide-ranging contributions to
engineering, science and technologies,
he was elected a Fellow of the Royal

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