The genius Sunderland teacher who helped develop radar, and his part in saving Britain from the Nazis

A Wearside man played a huge role in the development of radar - yet almost no-one was aware of it.

Bernard Rimmington was known to his pupils as a teacher at schools in Sunderland, including Southmoor in the 1960s.

A well respected teacher but what a past he had

But Bernard had a very different job in the years leading up to the Second World War.

He was 'in at the beginning of research into radar' according to a 1946 report in the Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette.

Radar was the vital system which was key to Britain's success in defending its skies against the Nazis.

He won a British Empire Medal

Bernard was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1946 in recognition of his work.

By then, he was a 35-year-old teacher at Deptford Terrace Senior Mixed School.

But years earlier, he had gone into the Forces and rose through the ranks to staff-sergeant in the Royal Artillery.

From an ack-ack battery to top secret science

The Sunderland Echo report on him, from 1946, said: "He was engaged for some time with a heavy ack-ack battery at Dover, but later was seconded, still in a military capacity, to scientific work."

Bernard was 'one of the team of scientists who carried out research on radar'.

The resident of Neale Street went back to being a teacher and Echo reader Derek Holcroft was one of his pupils in the 1960s.

Derek told us: "I first attended Southmoor School in 1967 - at that time there was a chemistry teacher called Bernard Rimmington, who was at the end of his career and retired soon after I started.

'None of his pupils ever knew'

"I suspect he may have arrived at Southmoor in 1960 via Villiers Street Junior a technical school."

Derek said Bernard's heroics 'describe a hidden tale that none of his pupils ever knew'.

Thanks to Derek for this and we wonder how many other people remember Bernard the teacher.

If you do, get in touch and tell us more by emailing [email protected]