Obituary: David Haslam

I met him for the first time in Monaco in May 1977 during the International Hydrographic Conference of that year and I saw him for the last time in Monaco two months before his death on the occasion of the 4th Extraordinary International Hydrographic Conference (EIHC).

During that Conference, the president of the IHB Directing Committee, vice admiral Alexandros Maratos, and his wife Eva, with a gesture of exquisite courtesy, invited the former IHB presidents and directors attending the conference to an evening party at his flat, which had also been the flat of Sir David from 1987 to 1992. Besides Sir David, the other guests were captain Jim Ayres (IHB director from 1977 to 1987, rear admiral Christian Andreasen (IHB president from 1992 to 1997) and his wife Anna, and myself. Also present were the other two IHB directors: captain Hugo Gorziglia and his wife Any, and captain Robert Ward. It was lovely, in the mild atmosphere of the Casino Square, to chat about our memories of old hydrographers and about the present trends of the International Hydrographic Organization. Sir David remembered the huge number of guests he hosted in that same flat during his mandate: in the five years of his appointment as president of the IHB he hosted 723 guests. This figure is a good indication of the character of Sir David: a generous British gentlemen with a peculiar sense of humour for telling funny stories: he had many good ones related to the surveys he carried out in the Far East seas and in other oceans.

After his retirement as president of the IHB, he was present at all of the International Hydrographic Conferences, which former IHB directors and presidents are invariably invited to attend. One evening, during the 2nd EIHC in 2000, I saw him leaning on the parapet of the Avenue d'Ostende and looking at the demolition work of the old building of the IHB [The IHB had been re-located in magnificent new premises, on the other side of the harbour, since September 1996]. The roof of the IHB had been just dismantled and the offices were visible from the top of the street. Looking at them he mentioned the names of those who had worked in each office. This is very sad he said and went away smoking his pipe.

Now the old IHB building has been replaced by a luxurious hotel, Sir David is exploring the seas of the haven and we, old and young hydrographers, will sorely miss him.

Image:  

Rear admiral Haslam between vice admiral Maratos (left) and rear admiral Angrisano (right) at the 4th Extraordinary International Hydrographic Conference, Monaco, 2nd June 2009.