Post-War Recovery
As World War II drew to a close in Europe, the
honour those colleagues in the gas industry
national gas associations started thinking about
who had died in the war. Delegates then
were the major issues of the time as the post-
re-establishing international contacts. First off
elected Colonel Cyril M. Croft, President of the
war recovery got underway. It was clear that
the mark was the Union Syndicale, which sent a
UK’s IGE, as IGU President for 1946-49, while
greater international cooperation was essential
delegation to visit the IGE in London in
Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, The
to reduce the risk of future conflict, and new
February 1945.
Netherlands, Sweden and the USA were invited
global and regional bodies were set up. IGU
to nominate Vice Presidents. The statutes were
was keen to start developing links with them.
and with the agreement of Hermann Zollikofer,
reviewed and minor amendments made. The
Relationships with CMI and the World Power
the Union Syndicale called a meeting in Paris for
main changes were to remove German as an
Conference1 were re-established; and, in 1949,
December 18 and 19. The defeated countries
official language and allow the President to
IGU was granted observer status at relevant
were not invited and representatives of Belgium,
appoint a President’s Secretary as well as a
meetings of the Coal and Power Division of the
France, Switzerland and the UK attended, while
Secretary General. Cyril Croft appointed the IGE
UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
The Netherlands and Sweden sent messages of
Secretary, Dr Walter T. K. Braunholtz, to assist
support. It was decided to reorganise IGU and
him and asked Hermann Zollikofer to carry on
topics were allocated to national member
convene a Council meeting in London on June
as Secretary General. The subscription remained
associations and it would not be until 1951 that
5 and 6, 1946. This was attended by represen
at Sfr200 initially but was increased to Sfr500
the first international committees were set up.
tatives of Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia,
the following year.
Once the war was over in Europe and Asia,
France, The Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland
As regards the technical work programme,
The 1949 conference
and the UK. Wilfred Philpot of the Canadian Gas
industries of IGU’s second and third highest gas
Dansk Gasteknisk Forening from Denmark was
Association had a mandate to represent the
consuming members, the UK and France, were
welcomed as the 10th post-war member in the
American Gas Association (AGA), and Norway
nationalised. Gaz de France was set up in 1946
run-up to the 4th International Gas Conference,
sent an observer.
(whereupon the Union Syndicale was
which was held in London, June 15-17, 1949.
disbanded and the ATG became the French IGU
The venue was the same as in 1931 – the
The Council meeting was opened by
26
During the 1946-49 Triennium, the gas
Indeed, reorganisation and reconstruction
Auguste Baril in his capacity as Honorary
member), while the Gas Act of 1948 reorganised
President, who asked for a minute of silence to
the British gas industry into 12 Area Boards.
Post-War Recover y
1 From 1968, the World Energy Conference and from 1990, the World Energy Council (WEC).
