Obituary G3AVV

SILENT KEY - Gordon (George) Gunnill G3AVV - ex G4DLE and RAFCWR 760713.

Originally published in Catswhisker, the Newsletter of the South Dorset Radio Society - April 2000

It is with the deepest regret that we have to report that 'George' died peacefully at Dorset County Hospital on March 28th 2000 in his 78th year. Never has the term 'Silent Key' been more appropriate

In 1942, 'George', as a result of his interest in Amateur Radio and ability at just 18 years old to send and receive at 25 words per minute was teaching Morse Code at Number 1 Signal School RAF Cranwell. Trained in Naval Architecture he responded to a notice posted on the Order Board appealing for Airman with Mechanical or Electrical/Electronic Engineering experience and was promptly transferred out of uniform and sent to work in the drawing and design office at the government Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE) at Worth Matravers. It was while working at Leeson House, Langton Matravers that Gordon was re-christened 'George' by his then boss who thought that the name Gordon was "far too bloody refined" ! TRE soon moved away from the very exposed coastal location to Great Malvern where George spent the war years working with scientists developing 3cm Radar.

After the war George worked for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), first at Harwell and then at Winfrith Heath in Dorset.

Originally from Goole in Yorkshire he finally settled in Weymouth and once again found himself teaching Morse Code, this time to budding Amateur Radio enthusiasts! Countless local 'Hams' , including myself have benefited from his first class teaching methods and his 'fist' was a joy to hear. When the Radio Society of Great Britain took over the Morse Testing Service George became a Morse Examiner and up until shortly before his death continued to both train and test people in the art of sending and receiving 'the code'. His boundless enthusiasm for the mode was obvious to all and the world of Amateur Radio has lost a fine pragmatist for the art.

See also The Morse the Memories A personal story of Morse Code Training in the Royal Air Force 1939 - 1942

George was also an accomplished artist and his drawing of a cat was used in the background of the original Catswhisker Web Pages and also on the title page of the PDF versions.

We will miss you George, and I promise to keep sending 'best bent wire /g' with my very best emulation of your musical and ever so slightly mis-timed version!

Geoff, G0EVW 10/04/00