War History of the Australian Meteorological Service
Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: D.Met.S.—Australia's Wartime Weather Service
Chapter 2: The Weather Factor in Warfare
Chapter 3: Met in the Retreat
Chapter 4: Met in the Advance
Port Moresby to Milne Bay
New Pacific Stations
9 Operational Group
10 Operational Group
Northern Command
First Tactical Air Force
Labuan Island
The End in Singapore
Chapter 5: Meteorology in Aviation
Chapter 6: Central Forecasting Services
Chapter 7: Met With the Army
Chapter 8: Research and Personnel Training
Chapter 9: Instrumental Development and Maintenance
Chapter 10: Scientific Developments in the RAAF Meteorological Service
Chapter 11: Divisional Bureaux and Their Work
Appendix 1: List of Reports Provided by D.Met.S. for Advances Operational Planning and Other Purposes
Appendix 2: List of Service Personnel RAAF Meteorological Service
Appendix 3: List of Civilian Personnel Who Worked Together with Service Personnel of the RAAF Meteorological Service
Appendix 4: List of Locations at which RAAF Meteorological Service Personnel Served
Index
Search
Help
Contact us
10 Operational Group
When the major Allied thrust turned westward late in 1943, operations were moving out of range of the RAAF whose units had become more or less anchored in the Milne Bay-Goodenough Island area. It was obvious that a mobile task force was needed, so that action was taken in January 1944 to create such a unit in No 10 Operational Group. This had its nucleus in three squadrons already in New Guinea to which were added those units on the mainland that were ready to take the field, but in the early stages difficulties were experienced with the Vengeance aircraft allotted to the group which proved unsuitable both in range and operational capacity, so that initially 10OG was confined to direct support of the Australian land forces in their drive along the Ramu Valley.Soon afterwards heavy American attacks commenced on the enemy bases at Wewak and Hollandia in preparation for the assault landings at Tanahmera and Humboldt Bays and Aitape, where 10OG was chosen to provide air support. Later, when these landings had been consolidated and the Allied forces continued westwards in a series of assaults on Wakde and Biak, a RAAF fighter wing provided the air support for each, while 10 Operational Group was again to the fore in the July landings at Noemfoor Island and subsequently at Sansapor, Amsterdam and Middleburg Islands. During August and September 10OG concentrated its forces at Noemfoor, leaving Northern Command to take over the RAAF wing at Aitape, but soon after the American landing at Morotai in September, 10OG was transferred to the operational control of the commanding general of the 13th Air Force and in October it was renamed First Tactical Air Force, RAAF. Then began the move to Morotai, where 10 Operational Group's role became destruction of enemy water craft in the Kai Islands, around Ceram, in the Banda Islands and in MacCluer Gulf.
The nucleus of 10OG meteorological section, which was to commence operations at Nadzab on the Huon Peninsula, was formed at Port Moresby in January 1944. It consisted of three RAAF weather men, headed by Fl Lt T. Gardiner, all of whom travelled by air to Nadzab to join the American meteorological office that was operating at Weather Central of the Second Air Task Force.
Fl Lt Gardiner, as the only RAAF forecaster on the spot, supplied weather information for our Kittyhawk fighter-bombers, dive-bombers and aircraft of 4AC Squadron, working under unusual conditions in that the time over target had to be recommended by the forecaster on the basis of less than three tenths of low cloud. This was to enable dive-bombing and strafing of gun positions and troop concentrations along the Boogadjim Road, the escape route south of Saidor and targets as far west as Wewak.
 |
Bureau of Meteorology |  |
© 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/0662.html