Donald Victor Darwin

Donald Victor Darwin, (11 October 1896 - 8 March 1972), M.M., M.C.E., M.I.C.E., M.I.E. (Aust.), CE., F.A.P.I., civil engineer, was born on 11 October 1896 at Redhill, South Australia, son of Henry Darwin, a native-born bank manager, and his wife Jessie Louise Cleta, née Gmeiner. He was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide and the University of Melbourne, gaining his BCE in 1920, and subsequently the MCE. He interrupting his University studies to serve with the 10th Field Coy Engineers, AIF, in France and Belgium from 1916 as a Sapper. In 1918 he was awarded the Military Medal. He was discharged in 1919.^[1]

Darwin's professional career was entirely with the Victorian Country Roads Board (CRB),^[2] which he joined in 1920 as Assistant Engineer, becoming Bridge Engineer in 1924, responsible for the design and construction of highway bridges throughout Victoria. One of his major projects was to design the new bridge over the Barwon River on the Princes Highway in Geelong.^[3]

In 1929 he was promoted to Assistant Chief Engineer under founding chairman William Calder. He became Assistant Chief Engineer in 1928, Chief Engineer in 1941, and was appointed to the three-member board of the C.R.B. in 1940, becoming Chairman in 1949 on the retirement of Chairman W L Dale. During World War 2, the CRB engineers were engaged on road, airfield and other civil engineering defence works in Victoria and Northern Territory.

From 1940 to 1949, despite his various other roles, Darwin was a part-time Lecturer in Roads and Street at the University of Melbourne.^[4] Darwin also became a Councillor of the Institution of Engineers Australia Victoria Division (IEAust)from 1949, and President in 1957.^[5] He was also appointed to the Tourist Development Authority in 1958, retired in June 1962 but continued to assist the Australian Road Research Board .^[6] He died 8 March 1972 at Malvern.^[3]

References

1. ^ National Archives Australia
2. ^ History of the CRB
3. ^ ^{a b} ADB Online
4. ^ JIEAust 1957, p 96.
5. ^ Institution of Engineers Australia Melbourne / Victoria Division Presidents / Chairmen 1919 -
6. ^ ARRB

Bibliography

• Chambers, Don, 'Darwin, Donald Victor (1896–1972)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 13, Melbourne University Press, 1993, pp 572–573.
• Chambers, Don, From Bullock Tracks to Bitumen (manuscript, State Library of Victoria).
• Darwin, D. V 1956, The planning of roads systems throughout Australia: statement, Country Roads Board, Victoria;
• Darwin, D. V. 1926. ‘The Barwon River bridge, Geelong’ Thesis (M.C.E.)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of Engineering, 1926.
• Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne), 5 Jan 1945, 2 Sept 1950, 11 Sept 1953;
• Argus (Melbourne), 22 Mar 1949;
• Herald (Melbourne), 10 July 1950, 1 Feb 1956;
• Age (Melbourne), 17 Apr 1957, 24 July 1962, 10 Mar 1972;
• Sydney Morning Herald, 8 June 1963, 25 Nov 1966;

Persondata
Name	Darwin, Donald Victor
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Date of birth	11 October 1896
Place of birth
Date of death	8 March 1972
Place of death