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Federation and MeteorologyBureau of Meteorology
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Table of Contents

Weather News

Introduction

History

Personal Notes

Retirements
Mr. B. W. Newman
Retirement of Walter Dwyer
Gerry O'Mahony—Thirty Years On
The Retoubtable George Mackey, Retd.
Retirement of ADR [Neil McRae]
A Long and Fruitful Innings [John Lillywhite]
Pat Ryan Retires
Harry Ashton Retires
'Fly Boy' Retires [Bill Brann]
Our Actor Steve [Lloyd]
Our Man in the Region Retires [Keith Hannay]
ADM Retires [Allen Bath]
Regional Director Queensland Retires [Arch Shields]
ANMRC Head Retires [Reg Clarke]
Vic Bahr's Last Bow
Long Serving Officers Retire [Jack Maher and Kev Lomas]
Allan Brunt Retires, 38 Years in 'the Met'
Henry Phillpot Retires
A Stout With a Dash! [Reg Stout]
Around the Regions [Keith Stibbs]
Bill Smith Bows Out—47 Year Record
Smooth Traffic Ahead for Keith Henderson
Happy Retirement, and Happy Birthday too! [Ralph de la Lande]
Air Dispersion Specialist Calls it a Day [Bill Moriarty]
Bob Crowder Retires
Grass Looks Greener for Tony [Powell]
Farewell France [Lajoie]
Forty Four Years in Meteorology—John Burn Remembers
Des Gaffney bows out
After Only 41 Years . . . Shaw, Enough! [Peter Shaw]
Brian Bradshaw departs, 45 Years On . . .
Bill Ware Ends on a High Note
Peter Barclay Retires
Mal Kennedy Retires
'The Ice Man Goeth . . .' DDS Neil Streten Calls it a Day
Dan of the 14,016 Days [Dan Lee]
A Launceston Boy Gone Wrong: Peter Noar Bows Out
It's Official—Climate Change Confirmed [Bill Kininmonth]
Victorian Forecasting Legend Bids Us Farewell [Ian Russell]
Gentleman Doug Gauntlett Retires
Queensland Regional Director Calls it a Day [Rex Falls]
Assistant Director (Services) Retires and Tributes Flow In [Bruce Neal]
NSW Regional Director Retires [Pat Sullivan]

Obituaries

Observers and Volunteers

Media

Computers


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No. 325 August 2000 (continued)

My view—Len Broadbridge WA Regional Director

A skinny kid, who looked 14 at most

BRUCE and I were on the meteorologist course that ran from February 1963 to about March 1964—they were marathons then—along with notables such as Bill Kininmonth, Patrick Sullivan, Graham Furler and Hugh Hutchinson.

Bruce was the baby of the class, a skinny little kid of 19 years who looked 14 at most, with an infectious grin and other elf-like qualities.

Any initial thoughts that he belonged in high school were soon dispelled when he started passing exams with the top or near-top marks.

His easy nature allowed us to use him as a knowledge resource, and he became a really popular guy.

We were then posted to different states, and I didn't see Bruce again until 1980 when I attended a conference in Darwin. It was a great thrill to see him.

Bruce was Acting Northern Territory Regional Director and I was working in the Western Australian Regional Office. We quaffed a few beers and caught up on 17 years.

Bruce moved to Head Office soon after that, and we saw each other more regularly at meetings.

Bruce was Superintendent Program Coordination and Information (STCI) through much of the '80s while I was the rookie RD in WA.

His presentations of financial and resource scenarios at Budget meetings were not only impressive but gloomy. Bruce was a worrier, and it showed!

It was decline time in the Bureau, and I'd go home to Perth after Bruce's presentations to tell the troops how tough things were going to be and to generally spread depression.

We kept on seeing each other during the '90s, and Bruce and Denise hosted some very enjoyable evenings at their home and during the odd weekend outing.

It has been my fortune and privilege to count Bruce as a friend and colleague. His demeanour, humour, work ethic and loyalty have been an inspiration to me and many others.


People in Bright Sparcs - Neal, Bruce

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