Brisbane (continued)

Precautions for air raids necessitated conversion of the basement of the Brisbane Divisional Office building to an air raid shelter and provision for carrying on activities from there. An alternative centre of operations was subsequently set up in one of the suburbs, and communication equipment was installed there for possible transfer of the office. Provision for the maintenance of services, if evacuation from Brisbane became necessary, had to be considered.

Direct co-ordination with Allied fighter sector headquarters was established, and services included regular forecasts for day and night operations. Immediate arrangements were made to check weather conditions whenever radar indicated suspicious reception—which may have been due to the weather itself, or perhaps to the approach of enemy aircraft.

Cloud heights were ascertained at night from searchlight units. Meteor calculations were supplied for artillery. In addition to the constant forecasting responsibilities and issue of air route advices, an increasing volume of short and long range forecasts was required for army expansion and movements in Queensland, e.g. for First Australian Army and No. 1 Aust Corps. Trafficability of roads and fordability of streams demanded regular forwarding of observations to the Divisional Office from many reporting centres.

Bureau of Meteorology