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
Chapter 5: Meteorology in Aviation
Chapter 6: Central Forecasting Services
Chapter 7: Met With the Army
Chapter 8: Research and Personnel Training
Radiosonde Personnel
Chemical Warfare Experiments
Training of Outside Personnel
Miscellaneous Training and Lectures
Civil Air Lines' Trainees
Compilation of Notes and Manuals
Meteorological and Climatic Reports
Coastal and Seaward Areas
Enemy Occupied Areas
Training Statistics
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
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Training of Outside Personnel (continued)
Similarly, members of both the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy received meteorological training at the hand of D.Met.S. In the case of the RAN, six ratings were instructed in the duties of meteorological assistant on Course No 12, one of their number subsequently qualifying for a commission in the Navy and successfully completing Meteorological Officers' Course No 11. In addition, four RAN officers, on return to Australia after a course in meteorology in London, were attached, one by one, during 1942, to the staff of the Directorate's research and training section for experience in Southern Hemisphere (particularly Australian) meteorology, including synoptic and air-mass analysis.Contact with visiting meteorological officers of the Royal Navy was made from time to time, but with the establishment in Sydney of the headquarters of the British Pacific Fleet, some of its forecasters were attached to D.Met.S. headquarters for periods of about three weeks for study of analysed charts, chiefly, and to gain familiarity with Southern Hemisphere conditions, particularly in the region of tropical Australia and over the seas from the north coast of this continent to Japan. These attachments commenced in February 1945 and extended until September.
Then, of course, there were the United States forces. In July 1942 the American 15th Weather Region staff disembarked in Melbourne, commencing their Australian meteorological training immediately, since preparation had already been completed. The men comprised about 50 forecasters and 200 ranks corresponding in function to meteorological assistants, so that in order to cope with the large number permission was obtained for the use of rooms at the University of Melbourne. The course was of one month's duration and was designed to suit the standards of the various classes, greatest attention being devoted to giving the trainees an introduction to Australian climate and weather. This was developed, during the course, to include the adjoining equatorial regions. Incidentally, at later dates, some of the meteorological assistant trainees returned for further specialised courses in order to qualify as weather forecasters.
Between September and December 1942 15 personnel of the United States Army Air Forces were trained in Melbourne as forecasters; five on RAAF Meteorological Officers' Course No 8 (May-August 1943) and two on RAAF Meteorological Officers' Course No 10 (December 1943-May 1944). Three 13th Air Force officers, already qualified meteorologists and experienced in tropical aspects, took part in advanced training, practical work and discussions on weather forecasting in equatorial regions to the north and north-west of Australia (October-November 1944) and, finally, between March and April 1945, two American weather officers were attached to D.Met.S. headquarters for further study of equatorial meteorology.
Organisations in Australian Science at Work - Directorate of Meteorological Services (D.Met.S)
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Bureau of Meteorology |  |
© Online Edition Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre and Bureau of Meteorology 2001
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