ITEM No. 27 
copy No- 
tice No. XIII—ii 
X-RAY APPARATUS AND RADIOLOGICAL 
ACTIVITIES IN FRANCE 
COMBINED INTELLIGENCE OBJECTIVES 
SUB-COMMITTEE REPORT OB’ X-RAY APPARATUS AND 
RADIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES IN PRANCE 
DECEMBER 1944 
REPORT BY 
LT. COL. A.R. GREATBATCH 
ARMAMENT RESEARCH DEPARTMENT 
CIOS BLACK LIST'ITEM 27 
INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT 
COMBINED INTELLIGENCE OBJECTIVES SUB-COMMITTEE 
G-2 DIVISION, SHAEP (REAR) APO 413 TABLE OP CONTENTS 
SUBJECT Pap;e Isro. 
Messrs. Philips ••• 3 
L'Institut du Radium ... U 
Stablissements Barbier, Bernard and 
Turenne ••• U 
Le Materiel Telephonique ... ••• 4 
Radiological Activities 6 G.I.O.S. 
Visit to Paris. December 1944 
Messrs. Philips. 
M. Spaans - Director 
M. Botiaux - Head of X-ray Department. 
1. There are about 75 principal users of Philips X-ray 
apparatus in Prance, about 12 of whom have obtained their 
apparatus during the occupation period. 
The firm have no knowledge of any special applica- 
tions which may have been developed during the the war, 
but they suggested that the following establishments 
should be visited;- 
Marine Nationals, Stahl is sement d*Indret, 
St. Lazaire 
Forges & Chantiers de la Mediterranee, Toulon 
Compagnie de Produits Chemiques et Electrome- 
tallurgiques alais Forges & Carmargue, 
Ghambery, Savoie. 
2. Very little X-ray apparatus is now available in 
Prance and spares are practically non existent. 
On account of our urgent requirements the firm were 
prepared to let U.K. have the only available 300 kilovolt 
X-ray tube insert they hold and accordingly arrangements 
were mdde to collect it.and ship it to London by air. We 
were asked to return it if by chance it should be found 
that the tube cannot be used in our existing equipment. 
3. M. Spaans was in control of the Philips* works in 
Eindhoven during the occupation and he confirmed the news 
that the Germans had removed train loads of equipment just 
prior to their departure. 
He also said that ttie damage to the works by British 
bombs would have been vastly greater had the Germans not 
removed a number of delay bombs which had dropped in par- 
ticularly vulnerable positions. LfInstitut du Radium 
Professor Lacassagne 
Mdme. Joliot-Gurie 
Dr. Latarget 
Dr. P. Bonet-Maury 
Mm. R.J. Walen 
1. The work of the Institut was never stopped during the 
occupation. Buildings and equipment, including radium are 
intact. 
2. A new method of purifying radon has "been developed 
during the war. It compi'ises an automatic circulation of 
the gases in a Cu-CuO purification system followed hy the 
usual separation by sharing. 
The method is reputed to give a very high yield and 
high concentration. It is very rapid and reduces the risk 
to personnel of the dangers of radiation. Seeds of 800 
milli-curies are used for neutron sources. 
A separate report on this development will he made 
soon as possible. 
EtaBlissements BarMer, 
Bernard & Turenne, 
Rue Curial 
1. A vist was made to these works with representatives 
of R.A.E. Pamborough and of SHAEP Economic Mission, Paris. 
2. A details report on their own activities is being made 
by the officers from Pamborough and it is noted here that 
the fim said that they had no radiological facilities of 
any kind. 
3* Later, through another channel, it was found that the 
Blanc-Misseron division of the firm were using X-rays to 
examine welding etc. A report on these activities is 
given in Appendix A. 
Le Materiel Telephonique 
1. Professor Toumier uses X-ray diffraction methods em- 
ploying detection by ionisation to control the cutting of 
quartz crystals. There is nothing unusual in the method or the appli- 
cation, which has also "been developed in America where it 
is now used on a large scale. 
2. Professor Toumier did not know of any work heing 
done in Prance on the application of supersonics to the 
detection of defects in materials. 
Report hy Lt.Col. A.R. Greatbatch 
(Armament Research Department). 
December, 19Uk* APPENDIX A 
C.I.O.S. 
Barbier, Bernard & Turenne 
Division de Blanc-Misseron 
Report. on Radiological Activities, Dec. 1944 
1. The information for this report was given By M. 
Flamme, Director, and M. Regnier, Engineer. 
2. The works suffered extensive damage in 1940 and M. 
Flammed house adjacent to them was completely demolished. 
The house was entirely rebuilt by the Germans in 1942 but 
the firm itself had to carry out all repairs to the fac- 
tory. 
3* The 200 kv. Philips X-ray set No. 22805 Type 11720 
which had been installed before the war was removed by 
the Germans to an unknov/n destination in June 1940. 
4* The output of the factory during the occupation 
averaged 40 per cent, of the pre-war output, and today 
it is only 25 per cent, the v/orks being open only on 4 
days of the week. 
No work was done for the Germans, very few of whom 
were seen in Blanc-Misseron itself. 
All contracts were for the local mining and petrol 
refining industries, etc. The items included consider- 
able numbers of reaction chambers for the synthetic 
manufacture of petrol and benzene, containers for butane 
and propane, mining equipment, etc. 
5* The firm purchased a new X-ray set in 1940 but could 
only obtain a 150 kv. mobile equipment (Philips). This 
has been in continual operation since except for occa- 
sional breakdowns due to H.T. cable failures. Thicknesses 
up to 2 inches of steel have been examined; but the ex- 
posure with such a moderately powered X-ray set is 
necessarily long - 20 minutes. 6. Alllongitudinal and circumferential welds in all 
pressure vessels such as boilers, reservoirs, reaction 
chambers etc. are examined 100 per cent, in accordance 
with the specifications issued by the American Petrol 
Institute A.3.M.S. 193k9 and by the Groupement des 
Associations Prancaises de Propietaires d’Appareils a 
Vapeur - Specification Technique Ho. 12, 193^. 
The standard of acceptability was initially controlled 
hy the use of standard films, hut these were found to he 
unsatisfactory and to contain "acceptable" defects which 
were in fact unacceptable. 
Wire penetrameters of the German type are now used 
in preference to the slot type used formerly. 
All welding is hy hand and the repairs average 1.5$ 
of the total length of welded seams, these defects 
appearing on k per cent, of the radiographs. The radio- 
graphic technique and control is generally of a very high 
standard. 
?• The firm has designed and is constructing a union- 
melt welding plant. Work is progressing very slowly owing 
to scarcity of materials and it is not expected to he com- 
pleted within a year. 
A.R. Greatbatch, 
L o . G ol • 
Dec emb er, 19kk*