Editing Ernest Lemon (section)

== Biography ==

Lemon was born in the small village of Okeford Fitzpaine, in the registration district of [[Sturminster Newton]], North [[Dorset]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/results?firstname=ernest%20j&lastname=lemon&eventyear=1885&eventyear_offset=0&datasetname=england%20%26%20wales%20births%201837-2006|title=Search Results for England202620wales20births201837-2006}}</ref> His father was a carpenter, and his mother laundress for the Rectory next door, where his first work experience was as a "back door boy".  The Rector recognised his potential, and when the Rector's daughter moved to Scotland she took Lemon with her, and he attended [[Heriot-Watt College]], [[Edinburgh]].<ref>Terry Jenkins, ''Sir Ernest Lemon'', [[Railway and Canal Historical Society|RCHS]] Books, 4 Broadway, Lincoln LN2, 1SH (2011). {{ISBN|978-0-901461-58-2}}</ref>  He served an apprenticeship with the [[North British Locomotive Company]] and then worked for the [[Highland Railway]] and for [[Hurst Nelson]].

In 1911, Lemon became Chief Wagon Inspector of the [[Midland Railway]] in [[England]]. In 1917, he was made Carriage Works Manager at [[Derby Works]]. In 1923, he was appointed Divisional Carriage and Wagon Superintendent at Derby. There he developed production line methods for the construction of [[wagon]]s and [[carriage]]s.

Despite having little experience in locomotive engineering, in 1931 Lemon was appointed to the post of [[chief mechanical engineer]] (CME) replacing the retiring [[Henry Fowler (engineer)|Henry Fowler]]. After less than a year as CME however, Lemon was again promoted to Vice-President, Railway Traffic, Operating and Commercial, replacing [[J.H. Follows]] who retired due to ill health.  Under his Vice-Presidency, the [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway|LMS]] undertook modernisation of their [[motive power depot]]s.  [[William Stanier]] had been head-hunted from the [[Great Western Railway]] to replace Lemon as CME and revolutionised the LMS's locomotive policy.

Lemon was a member of the [[Engineer and Railway Staff Corps]]—a [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]] unit of the [[Royal Engineers]]; he joined as a [[Major (rank)|major]] in November 1929,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33555 |date=26 November 1929 |page=7662 }}</ref> and was promoted to [[lieutenant-colonel]] in April 1932.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33819 |date=22 April 1932 |page=2637 }}</ref> He resigned his commission in August 1943.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36121 |date=3 August 1943 |page=3533 |supp=y }}</ref>

During World War II, Lemon was made Director-General of Aircraft Production. He introduced "assembly-line methods" and standardisation which enabled production to be sped up to such an extent that, at the end of the Battle of Britain, the RAF had more operational aircraft than at the start of that Battle, while Germany had fewer.<ref>Terry Jenkins, ''Sir Ernest Lemon'', [[Railway and Canal Historical Society|RCHS]] Books, 4 Broadway, Lincoln LN2, 1SH (2011). {{ISBN|978-0-901461-58-2}}</ref>  Lemon received a knighthood in the 1941 New Year's Honours list.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35029 |date=1 January 1941 |page=2 |supp=y }}</ref> He retired from the railway in 1943 and died in [[Epsom]] in 1954.