The Aerodrome Forum - View Single Post - J L Birley's work on aero neurosis in WW1

Doc · 4 November 2009, 04:30 AM

I'll check with some of my aviation/aerospace psychology experts and see if anyone knows anything about him.

Birley seems to have been a temporary lieutenant and then temporary major in the RAMC, attached to the Royal Flying Corps.

"IN the despatch dated November 7th, 1917, from Field-
Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, giving a list of names of those
whose distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty
he considers deserving of special mention, the following are
included: Temp. Lieut. (Temp. Maj.) J. L. BIRLEY, M.B.,
R.A.M.C.;" Flight Magazine, 1917, p. 1329 Unfortunately, no more details in that article.

Flight, 16 Jan 1919, page 92 notes: "Maj. J. L. Birley to be actg. Lieut.-Col. while employed as Lieut.-Col. ; Oct, 1, 1918, seniority May 28, 1918."

He obviously survived the war, as there was a J.L. Birley writing articles in the medical journals on psychiatric topics up till at least the 1920s.

He was a member of the Committee responsible for publishing "the Report of the War Office Committee Enquiry into "Shell-Shock", 1922. At that time he apparently worked for the Aeronautical Ministry. That document is available on the web at: http://books.google.com/books?id=O5_...Birley&f=false

There are lots of articles in the medical literature by JL Birley, up until the 1960s-1970s, but I don't know if it is the same guy. There also is a psychiatrist JLT Birley whose name recurs in searches.

Doc

4 November 2009, 04:30 AM	#2 (permalink)
Doc Forum Ace Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brussels, Belgium Posts: 531	I'll check with some of my aviation/aerospace psychology experts and see if anyone knows anything about him. Birley seems to have been a temporary lieutenant and then temporary major in the RAMC, attached to the Royal Flying Corps. "IN the despatch dated November 7th, 1917, from Field- Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, giving a list of names of those whose distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty he considers deserving of special mention, the following are included: Temp. Lieut. (Temp. Maj.) J. L. BIRLEY, M.B., R.A.M.C.;" Flight Magazine, 1917, p. 1329 Unfortunately, no more details in that article. Flight, 16 Jan 1919, page 92 notes: "Maj. J. L. Birley to be actg. Lieut.-Col. while employed as Lieut.-Col. ; Oct, 1, 1918, seniority May 28, 1918." He obviously survived the war, as there was a J.L. Birley writing articles in the medical journals on psychiatric topics up till at least the 1920s. He was a member of the Committee responsible for publishing "the Report of the War Office Committee Enquiry into "Shell-Shock", 1922. At that time he apparently worked for the Aeronautical Ministry. That document is available on the web at: http://books.google.com/books?id=O5_...Birley&f=false There are lots of articles in the medical literature by JL Birley, up until the 1960s-1970s, but I don't know if it is the same guy. There also is a psychiatrist JLT Birley whose name recurs in searches. Doc __________________ "Don't think of organ donation as giving up part of yourself to keep total strangers alive. Think of it as total strangers giving up most of themselves to keep parts of you alive. " Last edited by Doc; 4 November 2009 at 04:59 AM.