Email RE Special Brigade Royal Engineers at HM Factory Gretna: ‘106374 Cpl Douglas Arthur Clibbens (1892-1975) was born in Bristol. He gained a 1st Class Honours in chemistry  at London University  This was  an external degree which suggests he studied at another academic institute. He subsequently gained a MSc from Bristol University and his doctorate from Jena and Freiburg universities. He was serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps in the UK when he transferred to the Royal Engineers. He followed the same route as William Caw from then on, and it may be that they knew each other. The Special Brigade came under some pressure to release suitably qualified men to the Ministry of Munitions , particularly in 1916, so it comes as no surprise that Dr Clibbens was one of these. Clibbens married in 1916 perhaps around the time he returned to the UK.  Post-war he became a lecturer at King’s College, London and  had numerous papers published, principally in the area of textiles. In retirement he lived in Weymouth and died there in September 1975.’