SERVICE WAS OVERLOOKED

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 4 May 1935, Page 11

SERVICE WAS OVERLOOKED

A WAR time service which was overlooked seventeen years ago has just received: recognition in a letter .sent by President Roosevelt to a man now seriously ill in Mystic, Connecticut. Hie man is Charles Denison Holmes, an inventor who developed high-powered internal-combustion engines, states the “New York Times.” When the United States entered the World. War, Mr Holmes, who. had designed a motor widely used in the U.S.A. Life Saving Service, applied himself to the development of compact, efficient motors for submarine chasers and similar vessels in which high power was necessary but space was limited. It was for a further development made on the engine ho designed for submarine chasers that President Roosevelt expressed his thanks in a letter, dated February 13, from the White House. The letter follows : “My dear Mr Holmes,— “It has been brought to my attention that during the latter part of the World War period you were instrumental in the development of an internal-combustion engine of special size and characteristics as required by the War Department. This engine was later used for propelling certain heavy guns mounted on experimental motorcarriages and was also considered for use in experimental tanks. Your pioneer work in this field was not allowed to die but was continued until engines of sizes and performance characteristics not then available were satisfactorily developed.

President’s Belated Letter of Thanks

“Very sincerely yours, FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.”

“Since your personal efforts hastened the development of new types' of engines of special nature, I feel that it is fitting that I should express to yciu the thankq of tilts Government as well as my own for your part, in the development of a new type of military equipment.

Mr Holmes had perfected, an eightcylinder motor capable of producing 2oG horsepower, only a few days before the Armistice. The motor, designed for use in tanks ancf for movable gunmounts for heavy artillery pieces, had been ordered, by officials of an international commission.

At first, Mr Holmes related to a brother, Jeremiah Holmes, a .short time ago, the motor was a twelve-cy-linder affair, producing 400 horsepower. In that form, he said, it had been declined by the Navy Department for use in submarine chasers. But then the international commission, seeking a motor suitable for use in tanks, iirgod him to produce a motor of smaller size within three months. This was in July, lf>lß. It was Mr Holme’s brother who called the case to tjie attention of the President.

Working day and night, and at severe cost to his eyesight and general health, Mr Holmes redesigned his motor on smaller lines. The plans the Allies had for obtaining 2COO of these powerful motors for the artillery would have been an effective addition to the strength of the Allied armies, ho said.