MONDAY 10 August marks the centenary of the death of Henry Moseley (above), perhaps the most costly casualty of the First World War.
His death has been considered the Great War’s greatest loss
The acclaimed physicist, a former lecturer at the University of Manchester, lost his life on 10 August 1915. He was fighting at Gallipoli (modern day Turkey) in a campaign that saw around 130,000 people lose their lives.
In collaboration with Ernest Rutherford and C. G. Darwin (Charles Darwin’s grandson), Moseley’s research discovered a relationship between a chemical element’s X-ray wavelength- found by diffraction through a crystal - and its atomic number, a rule now known as Moseley’s law.
Moseley’s discovery would form the basis of the modern periodic table, by allowing chemical elements to be arranged by number of protons. It would also enable him to identify four missing elements.
Moseley’s research was interrupted by the outbreak of WW1 and he chose to enlist in the British Army, obtaining a lieutenant commission in the Royal Engineers. He would be killed by a sniper’s bullet to the head on 10 August 1915 whilst sending a military order at Gallipoli.
Newspaper headlines at the time lamented the loss, proclaiming 'Sacrifice of a Genius' and 'Too Valuable To Die'.
Over 130,000 lost their lives in GallipoliDr James Hopkins, University of Manchester Heritage Manager stated: “Due to the scale and impact of his achievements at such a young age, his death has been considered the Great War’s greatest loss. Following his death, the British government introduced a policy that disallowed the country’s prominent scientists from engaging in combat duty.”
Other University staff and students were heavily involved in the war, whether through active combat or research and development.
John Stopford, a subsequent Vice Chancellor and the namesake of the Medical School, was a pioneer in the development and refinement of new treatments, specialising in nerve injuries.
To commemorate those who lost their lives in WW1, the University has created a tribute website focusing on 600 staff and students.
Amongst the tributes is a collection of transcribed letters from students in the armed forces to renowned medievalist Professor Thomas Frederick Tout. The physical copies are held at the John Rylands Library.
“To gain a fuller picture of the University’s role during the Great War, we are keen for the public to get involved and submit any relevant images, letters or documents” said Dr Hopkins. Members of the public can upload material here.
A memorial tablet to Henry Moseley can be seen in the physical laboratory of the University of Manchester.
ww1.manchester.ac.uk/henry-moseley
The University's memorial plaque
