Harold Gourley

Who was Harold Gourley?

Harold John Frederick Gourley was a British civil engineer.

Gourley was born in Liverpool in 1886. He was the holder of a Master of Engineering degree. On 5 October 1912 he gave a lecture to the Salford Technical and Engineering Association on reinforced concrete construction. He also submitted a paper for publication in the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers investigating the flow of water over circular weirs.

During the First World War Gourley served as a commissioned officer in the Corps of Royal Engineers of the British Army. By 1917 he was a Second Lieutenant in the Territorial Force and was also an Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 December 1917. Gourley was made Second-in-Command of a field company and on 8 July 1918 was given the acting rank of Captain whilst he held this command Gourley was promoted to acting Major on 24 January 1919, by which point he was serving in the Welsh Division. He reverted to his permanent rank of Lieutenant on 31 March 1919 on ceasing to be employed. After the war he continued to be liable to recall to the army as he belonged to the Reserve of Officers until he reached the age limit on 14 November 1936.