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Basil Balme
Born
Basil Eric Balme

(1923-06-13)13 June 1923
Perth, Australia
Died10 July 2023(2023-07-10) (aged 100)
Claremont (Perth), Australia
NationalityAustralian
Alma materUniversity of Western Australia
SpouseHelen Cook
Children3
AwardsW.R. Browne Medal of the Geological Society of Australia (1988)[1]
Scientific career
Fields
Thesis Studies in stratigraphic palynology  (1968)
Doctoral advisorR.G. Coleman (unofficially)
Doctoral students
  • C.W. Hassell
  • J.R. Passmore
  • Kenneth Lee Segroves
  • J. Filatoff
  • G.D. Powis
  • J. Backhouse
  • N.G. Marshall
  • F.M. Parker

Basil Eric Balme (June 13, 1923 – July 10, 2023) was an Australian palynologist, considered as one of the pioneers in the field of palynology in Australia as well as one of its greatest contributors.

Early Life

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Basil Eric Balme was born on June 13 1923 in Perth, Western Australia.[2] 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

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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.[2] Balme was involved in convoy duties, escorting other ships throughout the Mediterranean and England.[3][4] He was originally trained as a radar operator in Melbourne where he joined the corvette HMAS Cowar[5][4], 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.[3] Balme also served in the southern and western Pacific until 1946[2], were he was involved in the sinking of a Japanese submarine. By the end of the war Balme had attained the rank of Petty Officer.[2]

Professional and Academic Career

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Returning to university in 1946 at age 23, Balme resumed his studies and graduated with First Class Honours in Geology in 1948.[2] During his undergraduate years, he garnered several academic distinctions, including the Lady James Prize in Natural Science and the E.S. Simpson Prize in Mineralogy. Not only a dedicated scholar, Balme was also a prominent sportsman, representing the University in cricket and Australian Rules football. He was also involved in university governance as a Council Member of the Guild of Undergraduates.[2]

Balme's foray into palynology commenced during his B.Sc. Honours year with a groundbreaking study of Permian miospores in the Collie Coalfield, southwestern Australia. In 1949, Balme was presented with an opportunity to pursue a PhD degree at the University of Nottingham, but this plan shifted when his potential supervisor accepted a position elsewhere.[2] Neverthelesss, he ventured to England and secured a position at the National Coal Board’s Coal Survey Laboratories in Sheffield. Collaborating with Dr. Mavis Butterworth, Balme contributed to palynological studies of British Carboniferous coals.[2]

Returning to Australia in 1952, Balme joined CSIRO as a Research Officer in the Coal Research Section, where he conducted research in both coal petrology and palynology. During this time, he and John Hennelly published a triad of papers which laid the foundations of Permian spore-pollen systematics in Australia.[2][6] His 1957 monograph on Mesozoic spores and pollen of Western Australia further solidified his reputation in the field.[2][7][8]

In 1957, at age 34, Balme transitioned to academia after accepting a Lectureship in Geology at the University of Western Australia.[2] 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.[2]

In 1968 Balme received a higher doctorate (D.Sc.) from the University of Western Australia, and was promoted to Reader in Geology in 1969.[2] 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.[2]

As a mentor, Balme's skill as a written communicator and counsel left a mark on those who undertake research under his supervision.[2] Over his 27 years in academia he acted as supervisor for 30 different students, 7 of which as principal PhD supervisor.[9]

Personal Life

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Balme's life is not confined to academia alone. His love for words found expression in his apt, original, and vivid language, evident in conversations, letters, and scholarly writings.[2] A masterful lecturer and entertaining speaker, Balme's wry humor left a lasting impression in geological circles. His involvement in university theater, playing roles in plays like Capek’s ‘The Insect Play’ and Shaw’s ‘St. Joan’, showcased his diverse interests.[2][10]

Balme married his partner Helen Cook in 1949, who worked at the Natural History Museum of London.[5] After returning from the UK, the couple went to have three children, Stephen, Jane, and Mary. Balme's partner Helen died in 2008 after 59 years of marriage.[5].

Balme passed away on July 10 2023 in Perth at age 100.[11][12]

References

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  1. ^ "W. R. Browne Medal". Australian Journal of Earth Sciences. 35: 595–597. 1988. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Playford, G; Truswell, E.M. (1988). "Palynological and palaeobotanical studies in honour of Basil E. Balme". Association of Australasian Palaeontologists. 5: 1–4. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Basil Balme". University of Western Australia. 21 April 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Taking a trip down memory lane as lives are celebrated". The Record. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Hitting His Centenary and Celebrating a Life Well Lived". Aged Care Online. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  6. ^ Balme, B.E.; Hennelly, J.P.F. (1956). "Monolete, monocolpate and alete sporomorphs from Australian Permian sediments". Aus. J. Bot. 4: 54–67.
  7. ^ Balme, B.E. (1957). "Spores and pollen grains from the Mesozoic of Western Australia". Coal Res. C.S.I.R.O. 25: 1–48.
  8. ^ Balme, B.E. (1957). "Upper Palaeozoic microfloras in sediments from the Lake Phillipson Bore, South Australia". Aus. J. Sci. 20: 1–61.
  9. ^ "Geology and Geography Thesis Collection". University of Western Australia. 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Basil Balme interview". University of Western Australia. 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  11. ^ "Farewell to Basil Balme". issuu.com. 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  12. ^ "BALME Basil". West Announcements. 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.


Category:1923 births Category:2023 deaths Category:Australian paleontologists Category:Academic staff of the University of Western Australia

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