'Who are these Met blokes?' (continued)

Eventually an order was promulgated, 'that personnel enlisted or appointed to the RAAF Met. branch may be required to undergo a short course (3–4 days) in elementary drill and service administration'. The Air Board organised some brief experiences—ranging from one afternoon to three or four days—to arouse some military zeal in the new personnel. These sessions were usually held in the grounds of the Exhibition Building, Melbourne. A drill sergeant stationed there whom I knew, complained to me, They're bloody hopeless when it comes to marching in step!'. It seemed that some members could not coordinate arm and leg movements, extending the same arm and leg forward together. 'Bloody civilians in uniform!' growled one Warrant-Officer instructor.

To attain proficiency in weapon drill with rifle and pistol in such a short time would have been difficult enough for anybody. The same instructor told me that when one Met. officer shot himself in the foot with a pistol at target practice, pistol drill for Met. personnel was discontinued.

In his circular of 26 February 1941, Group-Captain Warren had laid down that 'they (Met. officers) will, whilst on service, be wholly employed on meteorological duties, and will not be available for parades and ordinary station duties'. In practice, whether or not a Met. officer was available depended largely on the whim of the commanding officer of the unit; sometimes on the willingness of the individual Met. officer. In fact, many did share station duties. At one unit, I was bar officer in the mess, amenities officer for the unit, and also took my regular turn on the roster as Orderly Officer.

Bureau of Meteorology