A company that makes liferafts, lifejackets and other survival devices is paying tribute to its founder with a virtual museum that describes his links with former Godalming firm RFD.

Survitec, which took over the company more than 20 years ago, has created the online museum to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of RFD.

Reginald Foster Dagnall started his career in the drawing office of the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company before moving on to develop Willows Airships with Ernest Willows, the Welsh aviator and airship builder. He began experimenting with a new 'rapid flotation device', the success of which led him to set up RFD in 1920. He opened a small factory in Stoke Road, Guildford, in 1926.

The war years.

The factory in Catteshall Lane was established in 1936 after RFD became a public company. The largest part of its order book was made up of barrage balloons, ordered by the government to defend against air attacks from Germany during the Second Word War. During the war, RFD began trialling the first automatically inflatable liferaft aboard HMS Ark Royal. The company also supported the war effort with the production of lightweight dinghies and lifejackets for servicemen. The company was later also credited with inventing the world's first infant lifejacket and the first fast jet anti-G trousers, and even helping to develop the first Apollo spacesuit for NASA. While RFD evolved into Survitec more than 20 years ago, Dagnall was unable to appreciate the lasting legacy his life's work would have on maritime and aviation safety. He died aged just 54, in 1942. The RFD works in Catteshall Lane closed in 1986, and the company became Survitec more than 20 years ago. Survitec has its headquarters in London, and offices and workshops across the UK. Virtual museum.

Survitec has worked with Godalming Museum staff to create a virtual museum to mark the company's 100th anniversary.

The museum highlights inventions and patents that have played a pivotal role in maritime, energy, defence and aviation safety, often helping to shape international safety rules and guidelines.

"Survitec's executve chairman, Ron Krisanda, said: "The virtual history museum highlights key milestones in the maritime and aviation industry, starting with our company founder's invention of liferafts in the 1920s.

"Working with Godalming Museum, we've been able to chronicle the early years of survival products, including the world's first marine evacuation and submarine escape suit.

"At Survitec, we have a long history of saving lives, so it is with enormous pride we mark this important contribution to maritime, energy, defence and aviation industries."

Godalming archive.

Godalming Museum Curator Alison Pattison explained: "Survitec's story really started in 1920, when Dagnall put his engineering flair and innovative thinking to work manufacturing lightweight inflatable rings designed for an aircraft's fuselage. This prevented a ditched plane from sinking and allowed the craft to be recovered. "His technology evolved to facilitate the rescue of aircrews and, in 1932, a method of automatic inflation was introduced, signalling a major breakthrough for the company and revolutionising the industry for years to come. "Godalming Museum has a fascinating collection of photographs documenting RFD's work. The museum has a large stock of images, voice interviews with staff from the past and a large bank of information, which we are making available to Survitec to celebrate the company's centenary. "It really is a fascinating insight into a company that has managed to weather the passage of time." The virtual museum includes television news footage, survivor stories and interviews, along with a number of videos highlighting the evolution of lifejackets, liferafts, marine evacuation systems and more over the years. It can be found here