Robert Watson-Watt was born in Brechin, Scotland in 1892. Between 1912 and 1921 he was Assistant to the Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of St. Andrews and then worked at the Meteorological Office, before moving to the National Physical Laboratory in 1933, where he started his work on radar. The first radar station was opened in 1935 and by the start of the Second World War Britain had 40 bases. Radar was first used in the Battle of Britain and it was a great help in defending the country from the Germans. Today radar is also used for many other purposes. Watson-Watt was knighted for his invention and went on to make important advances in meteorology, astronomy and aviation.
