Basil Balme

Basil Eric Balme was born on 13 June 1923, in Perth, Western Australia. His educational foundation was laid at Scotch College, where he distinguished himself as a Coombe Scholar and recipient of a Council Scholarship. Balme entered the University of Western Australia in 1941, majoring in Geology. == Military career==

Balme completed the first year of the geology course before enlisting in the Royal Australian Navy in 1942 during World War II at the age of 19. He was originally trained as a radar operator in Melbourne where he joined the corvette HMAS Cowar, and later spent years at sea on English cruisers or corvettes. Balme would also converse and be for several months in the company of Philip Mountbatten, future Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburugh. Balme also served in the southern and western Pacific until 1946, where he was involved in the sinking of a Japanese submarine. By the end of the war Balme had attained the rank of Petty Officer. == Academic career ==

Returning to university in 1946 at age 23, Balme resumed his studies and graduated with First Class Honours in Geology in 1948. His 1957 monograph on Mesozoic spores and pollen of Western Australia further solidified his reputation in the field. In 1957, at age 34, Balme transitioned to academia after accepting a Lectureship in Geology at the University of Western Australia. His impactful palynological research continued, focusing on the Upper Palaeozoic-Mesozoic stratigraphy, including floral reconstructions. His extensive collaboration with the petroleum exploration industry significantly shaped his career, as Balme's age determinations through palynomorphs were crucial for stratigraphic correlations and to find more oil deposits. In 1968 Balme received a higher doctorate (D.Sc.) from the University of Western Australia, and was promoted to Reader in Geology in 1969. His contributions extended beyond research, as he served in various administrative roles at the university, such as Faculty of Science Dean and Department Head. Additionally, he demonstrated a commitment to the geological community by presiding over organizations like the Geological Society of Australia and the Royal Society of Western Australia. == Personal life ==

Balme's aptitude with language was evident in conversations, letters, and scholarly writings. Balme married his partner Helen Cook in 1949, who worked at the Natural History Museum of London. ==References==