In the beginning …

1. In the beginning … From: Roger Clifft [clifftr@mail.cern.ch] Sent: 22 May 2008 13:42 To: Dainton, JB (John) Subject: Re: David Saxon? Hello John, I do not remember much about this time either. I just remember a fresh faced enthusiastic young lad appeared at the lunch table announced as the nephew(?) of Godfrey Saxon who was in charge of the rf of the Daresbury synchrotron. Best wishes Roger …there is/was Daresbury it all started because of accelerator physics Ernie Alton: radiative corrections? - “we were busy trying to get first beam” (EG)

2. … and on to dreaming spires ? …the hidden undergraduate years never inquire – I didn’t dare ! but he sure did well because they took him on in 13 Banbury Road the Nuclear Physics Laboratory the challenges of πp → ππN the isobar model … and even the Veneziano amplitude ! “Who else could have put both together?” “Didn’t someone ever tell him about ππ phase shifts?” Private communication DHP → JBD OUNPL coffee lounge, 1969

3. dreaming spires …which brings us to the age of NAM/RRH/JBD as primary source historians … so nothing can possibly now be disputed ! Scene 13 Banbury Road, basement October 1st 1969 Curtain rises on three spanking new DPhil students Norman McCubbin Ron Horgan JBD (and look where they are now) sitting at their new desks surrounded by almost new, completely unused, bubble chamber kit … the “British National” no less!

4. dreaming spires Sudden thundering of footsteps on outside staircase, then dramatic entrance door right a fresh faced, (little less) young, and enthusiastic lad, beaming … and almost with a brand new DPhil. DHS: “Hi ! You must be the new boys. I’ve just handed in my thesis. I must tell you the facts of life here when I’ve got a moment.” Exit (with similar drama) through door, with more thundering footsteps, and upstairs. Trio at desks haven’t (dared) move since entrance. They remain motionless (stunned), overwhelmed, shock and awe?

5. dreaming spires Silence (eventually … ?) broken by one occupant (later identified as the theorist of the trio, and one not known for his dulcet tone) exclaiming that “it’s flat if it’s integrable”. The principle of Monte Carlo generation had been rediscovered yet again, no doubt stimulated by events, by immediate surroundings, and by DHP intent on verifying dE/dx. Sudden thundering again of footsteps on outside staircase, then again dramatic entrance door right of fresh faced … . DHS: “I’ve got time right now.”

6. dreaming spires At this moment the combined memories of what was to become two experimentalists and one theorist must have collectively failed to function (shock and awe?) for there seems to be no further recollection of what happened, which is probably just as well, other than it took 2 hours, and all agree that, on balance, they were probably the better for it …!

7. … and on to the NAL …where physics was beginning again … and where charm always was! “Our main focus was the single-arm spectrometer measurement of high transverse momentum leptons, starting with electrons. There, we did see a signal – a signal at the surprisingly constant level of 10-4 of the rate of charged hadrons produced. This level remained unexplained until the discovery of charm particles, …” Jeff Appel email May 2008 … and the boots on the OUNPL lecture theatre bench … when the prodigal returned to give a seminar JBD ageing memory probably ~1971 OUNPL

8. … soon to become FNAL “Leon was very supportive of his team, writing to R. R. Wilson about his sharing of ‘the angst of our good young people, their exuberance stilled, their lively pace slowed to a shamble, their hungry, pleading eyes averted, aging, proton-less’. Wilson’s answer … ‘I am touched by the plight of your piteous young people. Believe me, their angst is my angst… It shall not be. One tries the more. Fly the banner. Sound the charge! Youth shall be served. Protons shall be theirs – and soon!’ ” Oh STFC, how and why did you go so wrong? It’s the young people, stupid. “I sincerely believe, David, that you should be proud of your achievements in the foundation of this experimental program at Fermilab, which is, according to many people, one of the most important ones in high-energy physics.” Maurice Bourquin email May 2008

9. … and back to RAL the challenges of πp physics πp → KΛ more phase shifts and … definitive analysis of a great tradition @ RAL, πp partial wave analysis elastic and inelastic measurements which will never be repeated, measurements which are at the basis of the definition of quark degrees of freedom, an unchallengable legacy … while also defining TASSO for PETRA (DHS) … and while North Britain engaged in PLUTO/CELLO

10. PS A later interlude “Years ago, in a bygone era when US particle physics was beginning to anticipate the construction of a 20 TeV collider at the Ronald Reagan Laboratory “deep in the heart of Texas”, a young and dynamic, may be even soon to be, Kelvin Professor and I found ourselves on the way together to a workshop in Vancouver. It was (evidently) a memorable trip for a number of reasons.” Memories of a grumpy old Liverpool Prof 2008 (JBD)

11. … in the New World ●travelling with a (soon to be) Kelvin Prof - Oxford to Vancouver via “Gatport” - on two Wardair Airbus engines ? - distance 3,900 miles -range 3,600 nautical miles - distance 3,900 miles -range 3,600 miles - intellectual challenge on return What happens to the Sun in June viewed at 550 mph over Baffin Island ? … full, in-flight, Kelvin entertainment (I was asleep) Wardair no longer trading

12. … which is history …………… Quite some team of drift chamber experts! …………… ●you can’t win ‘em all

13. … and the cultural legacy ! ●the Kelvin Prof brings North British culture to North Germany - international office DESY - charm offensive (a new angle) - the importance of the knee to Scots culture - the Saxon clan … ? - the McSaxon tartan … ? exclusive ●conclusive evidence now unearthed

14. Summary ●this Kelvin Prof is special - distinguished scientist and aerodynamic engineer (including relativistic planetary dynamics at midnight over the Arctic) - inspiring teacher in difficult environments (basements) - entertaining traveller, raconteur and wit who manifestly spans the great divide (the Tweed) and is understood on both sides of the border - sartorially innovative and adaptable (with good knees) - survived lesser collaborators on failed projects ● thislesser collaborator always found it a privilege and a pleasure ! Thank you David