Engineering under fire: Vernon Robertson

Vernon Robertson was a senior engineer in the transport sector whose career was punctuated by war. During the Second World War, he served as London Transport’s most senior engineer, overseeing the company’s engineering activities during the Blitz. He was no stranger to working under fire, having served as an engineer in the British Army during the First World War. 

Vernon Alec Murray Robertson was born in Calcutta, India in 1890. He studied at Dover College and Crystal Palace School of Practical Engineering before being articled to an engineering firm. Vernon started his long association with the transport sector in 1912 when he joined the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. 

With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Vernon was one of the many to volunteer for the British Army. After initially joining up with the London Scottish, a Territorial unit, he was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Engineers, making military use of his civilian skills.  

During his service on the Western Front in northern France and Belgium between 1915 and 1919, Vernon was awarded several awards for bravery. In September 1917, he reported on and supervised the repair of several bridges, despite a bombardment during which he suffered the effects of poison gas. Vernon was awarded the Military Cross, a decoration for gallantry in active operations. In October 1918, he successfully erected five bridges near Nivelle, whilst under German machine gun and artillery fire. Vernon was awarded a bar to his Military Cross for his exceptional bravery. 

After the First World War, Vernon returned to his engineering career in the railway industry. He took positions with the Great Eastern Railway and London and North Eastern Railway, before joining the Underground Group in 1928.  

Ten years later Vernon was promoted to the role of Chief Civil Engineer with London Transport (LT) and was in this role when the Second World War broke out. During 1940, when London and its transport network faced one of the most challenging periods in its history, he was promoted to be LT’s Engineer-in-Chief. As the company’s most senior engineer, Vernon had to lead the teams of staff who attempted to repair a network severely damaged by nightly air raids during the Blitz, from September 1940 to May 1941. 

Along with his work for LT, Vernon was also a senior officer in the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps, a British Army reserve made up of senior engineering advisors. In 1943, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his contribution to London’s transport network in the Second World War. The following year Vernon left to become the Chief Civil Engineer to the Southern Railway. In 1948, with the railways nationalised, he continued this role with the Southern Region of British Railways.  

Vernon retired in 1951, though continued to act as a partner and then consultant to engineering firm Sir William Halcrow and Partners until 1964. He died in 1971, aged 80. 

These objects are on display in the ‘Keeping London moving’ section of the London’s transport at war gallery