RAAF Meteorological Service
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Weather Factor in Warfare
Chapter 2: Establishing and Developing the RAAF Directorate of Met. Services (D.Met.S)
Summary of Activities and Developments in D.Met.S. to mid-1943
Coordination of RAAF and United States Army Air Force and Navy Weather Services
Operational Difficulties
Chapter 3: Recruiting and Training of Personnel
Chapter 4: Meteorology in Aviation
Chapter 5: The Met. Retreating
Chapter 6: The Met. Advancing
Chapter 7: The Met With the Army and the Navy
Chapter 8: Divisional Offices of the Bureau of Meteorology During the War
Chapter 9: Research and Instrumental Development
Chapter 10: The End, Aftermath, and Beyond
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Appendix 4
References
Index
Search
Help
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Summary of Activities and Developments in D.Met.S. to mid-1943 (continued)
However, by the end of 1939, the war in Europe and in the Middle East was intensifying; and although the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour was still some time away, there were ominous rumblings in both the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The early presence of an enemy in New Zealand waters, evidenced by the recovery of mines and sinking of the vessel, Niagara, raised the issue of whether meteorological information should be collected and disseminated in secret codes. A critical stage had been reached where strict military control over weather information was essential. A confidential meteorological code was introduced at 0001 GMT on 23 December 1940.
The transfer of the Met. to the RAAF was a wise and timely move by the Australian government. This view was supported in a minute written by the Director of Meteorological Services to Air Board some months after the end of the war:
'An essential component of war organisation for the operational requirements of the Forces is an efficient Met. service.'
The transfer enabled a complete coordination of meteorological services for the fighting forces, and also for the civilian population under one authority, thus securing unified control both in policy and operation.
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© Online Edition Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre and Bureau of Meteorology 2001
Published by Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, using the Web Academic Resource Publisher
http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/fam/0222.html