Born at Astor House, Shanghai, 31st March 1910. Educated at Bedford School 1919-1928, from whence he went to the City & Guilds Engineering College 1928-1931, obtaining degrees of B.Sc. (Eng.) and A.C.G.I. Elected Assoc. M.Inst.C.E. 10th January, 1939. After practical training and employment on the Engineering Staffs of the Beckenham and Ealing Borough Councils in 1939 joined the Staff of Sir Alfred McAlpine & Son, being employed on Aerodrome construction and other Government work, subsequently joining the staff employed by the Ministry of Fuel and Power in open cast coal production. He married 10th June, 1939, at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Ewell, Joan Philomene, daughter of Charles Scrivener Dale of Australia. They have a son Malcolm Charles Lidderdale Forrest born at Stafford 17th September 1940.

Reprinted from: Lidderdale, Robert Halliday, An Account of the Lowland Scots Family of Lidderdale, 1950 unpublished manuscript.