Thomas Douglas Victor Swinscow

Thomas Douglas (Dougal) Victor Swinscow (1917–1992) was the founder of the British Lichen Society and the scientific journal The Lichenologist. He was also a member of the editorial team of the British Medical Journal and deputy editor from 1964 until 1977.

Early life and education Swinscow's parents were Nellie (née Alleyne) and William Sprague Swinscow. As a child Swinscow explored his home area of Devon and developed his interest in natural history. He was educated at the private boys school Kelly College, Tavistock, Devon. He completed a bachelor's degree in medicine at St Thomas's Hospital Medical School in 1939 and subsequently became a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians, London and was registered as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. In 1962 he was awarded an M.Sc. degree University of London for his studies on the lichen Porina.

Career After finishing his medical qualification, and working as a house surgeon at Woking Hospital he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps and was gazetted as a second lieutenant on 15 May 1941. After training in southern England and in Scotland, he was posted to Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. He served in Algiers as a Medical Officer from May to July 1943 with the Allied Military Government in Occupied Territories. After the surrender of the German forces, he applied to join the 1st Airborne Division and returned to England for more training, including a parachute course. He joined the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron as the medical officer in January 1944. He took part in the battle of Arnhem. After landing by parachute, he provided medical help and was later able to join the retreat and escape although he was wounded. He was recommended for the Military Cross for providing medical aid under machine gun and mortar fire but was finally awarded the Bronze Cross of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1945. He reached the rank of captain.

He was a member of the editorial team at the British Medical Journal between 1946 and 1981, including as Deputy Editor from 1964 until 1977. This gave him insight into the debates and politics at the start of the National Health Service. He retired in 1977 but continued his association with the journal for several years. After several taxonomic revisions it was named Swinscowia in 2020. The other species are Dermatina swinscowii Riedl, in Sydowia (1964) 17: 104; (since reduced to synonymy with Arthothelium lirellans (Almq.) Coppins) in Lichenologist (1979) 11: 28, Parmelia swinscowii Hale, in Phytologia (1973) 27: 4. and Polyblastiopsis swinscowii Riedl, in Lichenologist (1979) 11: 47.

Personal life In 1941 he married Josephine Earle and they had three daughters together.