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 (continued)
FO F. C. Henderson, another RAAF forecaster from Port Moresby arrived early in March to join the weather office at Nadzab, but three weeks later accompanied 78 Wing across to Cape Gloucester, New Britain, to forecast from the American meteorological station for Australian strikes as far as Ubili. Initially it was decided to set up a complete RAAF weather section at Cape Gloucester, but plans were changed and personnel returned to Nadzab. In mid-May Sqn Ldr H. T. Ashton, who had arrived from Townsville, became group meteorological officer and later moved with the section to Tadji (Aitape), Fl Lt Gardiner returning to Port Moresby as officer-in-charge.At Tadji, as at Nadzab, the RAAF weather section relied a great deal on cooperation from the existing American meteorological establishment. FO Henderson, who had come from Cape Gloucester, initiated the RAAF service at Tadji, using American data, but with the arrival of Sqn Ldr H. T. Ashton and a small staff from Nadzab it was possible to expand this into a skeleton forecasting station. Soon afterwards, however, FO Henderson was again pressing onwards, this time over the border of Dutch New Guinea to Hollandia, leaving the Tadji section to be conducted by newly arrived personnel. Later in the month another forecaster and two airmen followed on to Hollandia, completing the 78 Wing weather section.
Basic meteorological organisation at this stage was to provide two forecasting officers and two airmen to headquarters and to each wing. These men, although not sufficient to operate independent sections, were to cooperate with existing RAAF or American establishments.
Near the end of June 1944 the RAAF move to Noemfoor Island commenced, being completed in the following month. At that stage the 10 Operational Group meteorological organisation embraced headquarters, at Noemfoor, where Sqn Ldr H. T. Ashton was located, with forecasting sections attached to 71 Wing (Tadji), 78 Wing (Noemfoor) and 77 Wing (Noemfoor). In September, 81 Wing also commenced operations at Noemfoor and a separate weather section was attached.
At this stage, also, it was found possible to revise and stabilise general policy. Establishments were rearranged on the basis of full working sections for attack wings and operational base units, with either one forecaster, or one forecaster and an assistant, for fighter wings, collaborating with a full section.
People in Bright Sparcs - Ashton, Henry Tamblyn (Harry)
 |
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/0663.html