John joined my research group at University College in 1954. At this time the Department was one of the centres of excellence in physical organic chemistry under the aegis of Ingold and Hughes. We were slowly coming round to an analogy between gas-phase elimination of the alkyl halides and the S, 1 reaction of the corresponding compounds in polar solvents. The alkyl bromides had been investigated, the chlorides largely by Barton and his colleagues, which left the iodides. This was the problem John took on. Compared with the other alkyl halides the iodides were complex in that hydrogen iodide reduces the alkyl iodides to iodine and an alkane. A complex problem to unravel but John did it. From 1958-60 he was a Research Fellow at the National Research Council (NRC) in Ottawa in the time of Steacie. Returning to the UK in 1960, John was an ICI Fellow and then lecturer in the University of Edinburgh. Two years later he joined the faculty of the University of Ottawa where he still is. His background training in the kinetics and mechanism of unimolecular gas-phase reactions led him to a study of the kinetics and mechanisms of ionic species when the University of Ottawa acquired a mass spectrometer, a field he continues to develop. With this background he was appointed to the Editorial Board of Organic Mass Spectrometry in 1972. When the North American Editorship fell vacant in 1976 he was the unanimous choice of the Advisory Board.
I have on a number of occasions acknowledged the debt that an Editorin-Chief owes to his regional editors. He is dependent upon them to keep their fingers on the pulse of local feeling and to keep him informed. John was a marvellous help in this respect, always available to advise and always coming up with well thought out and important advice. I have twice spent some time in John's laboratory and have seen him dealing with editorial problems. These he took in his stride handling authors with firmness and understanding. There must be many a contributor whose paper has been rendered more intelligible and more valuable by his comments. I owe John a debt of gratitude not only for the way that he carried out his duties but also for the valuable advice that I was tendered from time to time.
Despite the demands editorial duties made on his time, his enthusiasm and devotion to his research was never impaired as is borne out by the very strong research group he has built up and his many publications on ion chemistry. These include metastable ions, ion thermochemistry, methods of assigning ion structure, novel structures, collision-induced dissociation, enthalpies of formation of radicals, neutralization-reionization mass spectra and latterly light emission by excited ions. His collaboration with Fred Lossing upon the latter's retirement from NRC has been especially fruitful. John is in great demand for plenary lectures at national and international conferences on mass spectrometry. His enthusiasm for his chosen subject makes him an outstanding lecturer and teacher at all levels, a fact that has afforded him invitations to numerous visiting appointments in Europe and Australia. His laboratory continues to attract guest workers from all continents.
John is the second editor with an interest in sailing, Professor Griitzmacher being the other. Besides being a sailor, John has participated in world class sailing refereeing.
I am sure that all readers of O M S will join me in wishing John every success in his continuing research.