Gerald Smedley
Andrews - Victoria
![Click image for full-size version](/web/20061229023329im_/http://www.protocol.gov.bc.ca/protocol/prgs/obc/1990/1990_GSAndrews_sm.jpg) A
teacher, an engineer, a forester, a land surveyor and a writer,
Gerry Andrews is truly one of British Columbia's great trail blazers.
Born in Winnipeg,
educated in Vancouver, Toronto, Oxford, England and Dresden, Germany,
Gerry commenced his career as a school master at Big Bar Creek and
Kelly Lake in 1922. Teaching gave way to land surveying in 1930.
He was Chief of Party, Flathead Forest Survey - 1930; Tranquille
and Niskonlith Survey - 1931; Shuswap Forest Survey - 1932.
He initiated
the use of air photography in 1931 and supervised air surveys for
the Province in Nimkish Forest, Kitimat, Okanagan, the Kootenays
and the Rocky Mt. Trench.
Mr. Andrews'
career as a surveyor was interrupted by distinguished war service
overseas between 1940 and 1946 wherein he rose to the rank of Lieutenant
Colonel. He developed improved air cameras for the Canadian Army
and undertook depth soundings of Normandy beaches by wave velocities
determined from air photos. His army service took him on liaison
missions to some eighteen countries and he was awarded an M.B.E.
Returning to
British Columbia, between 1946 and 1950 he served as Chief Air Survey
Engineer for B.C.; and as B.C. Surveyor General & Director of
Mapping and Provincial Boundaries Commissioner from 1952 to 1968.
He has acted
as a consultant to several countries including the Mekong River
studies in 1958.
A keen historian
of British Columbia, Gerry Andrews is the author of some 50 publications,
and continues to write articles for the B.C. Historical Society.
Among many honours
and awards, he received the Meritorious Achievement Award from the
Association of Professional Engineers of B.C. and, in 1988, he received
an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering from the University of Victoria.
Gerry Andrews,
- truly one of British Columbia's great pioneers.
|