Research, Development and Special Investigations (continued)

With observations available from Heard and Macquarie Islands I arranged for the printing of base charts suitable for synoptic analysis of the Southern Ocean. I arranged that staff of the CAWDS should have time for research and convened regular Friday afternoon discussion groups in that Section. There seemed to be opportunities of improving the processing of climate data and I was involved in discussions on the use of Hollerith punch-cards, sorters and tabulators for such data processing.

The civil defence organisations being formed in the various States emphasised protection of civilians from nuclear attacks and we were involved in some preliminary assessments of likely trajectories and fallout from atomic clouds.

One of the most remarkable events during my term as Supervising Meteorologist (Research) occurred when Warren told me that the supervisors of the displaced persons camp in Melbourne had a man employed in caring for the boilers who claimed to be a former professor of mathematics and meteorology in the USSR.

The displaced persons camp housed refugees from the war in Europe who had been left homeless by the retreat of the German army and the retaking of territory by the Allies. Warren asked me to interview Serafim Karelsky, who had a very primitive command of English, which however far exceeded my knowledge of Russian.

I devised a test in which he was given a plotted map of meteorological observations for the Australian region and was asked to produce a synoptic analysis of the situation. In retrospect it was a daunting task. He demonstrated a working knowledge of meteorology, and after the usual bureaucratic procedure, was employed in the Bureau. Sima, as we learnt to call him, became one of the first 'new Australians' to join the Bureau. We shall hear more of him later.

Bureau of Meteorology