The Bismarck Sea Battle—1 March 1943 (continued)

On many fronts, the Met. men were the only RAAF personnel present. During the Labuan campaign, they arrived at their destination during the pre-bombardment of that objective. They scratched up premises from stage material scrounged from a Gracie Fields concert organisation.

'Don't worry about the weather', said the army unit commander, 'we're taking Martin because he is a first-class operator anyway'. He was referring to Met. officer, Flight-Lieutenant Alan Martin of Western Australia, who had undergone a special course of training as a commando paratrooper. The original purpose of this was, that with three other companions, Martin would be dropped behind enemy lines near Balikpapan, Borneo, to send out weather and intelligence reports for the use of the advancing Allies.

On the order of the aircraft captain, the group parachuted, but instead of landing at a distance from a Japanese naval barracks, they landed fair and square on it! Alan Martin worked on his 'chute, but was handicapped by the weight of his equipment, and by the fact that the fall was only 500 feet. He fell into a high tree, and hung there, suspended by his harness.

Bureau of Meteorology