Herb Whittingham Dies

His colleagues, particularly those in Queensland region, suffered a great loss for Herb was a dedicated meteorologist, a sound research scientist and a valued friend. The Director has sent condolences to his father and sister.

Allan Brunt of Queensland RO writes:—

Meteorology was his whole life. Even when he was very ill he had his sister observing thunderstorms for him, providing up-to-the-minute reports. He lived, slept and dreamed meteorology and was able to bring an amazing singleness of purpose to bear on any problem he tackled.

His many scientific papers indicate his productivity, particularly in the fields of fire weather, hydrometeorology, tropical cyclones, storm surges and tidal theory. It was his work in fire weather which led to his appointment as Member of the Institute of Foresters. However, the publication of which he was probably most proud was Bulletin No. 46, Extreme Wind Gusts in Australia.

He did much for the scientific reputation of the Bureau—engineers, architects, agriculturalists and planners of all sorts beat a path to his door. He had a vast knowledge of other disciplines as he read widely. He was an Associate of the Royal Meteorological Society.

Herb began with the Bureau as a Junior Met. Assistant in 1939. During the war he served with Allied Air Headquarters (later RAAF Command) Meteorological Section where his Considerable talent for research and investigation soon became apparent. He played a significant part in the production of the RAAF Tropical Weather Research Bulletin and was a contributor to later issues. Even at that early age the arthritic condition which was to cause him so much discomfort in later years was already becoming troublesome. Nevertheless, his happy disposition and ready wit endeared him to his colleagues. After five years' war service with the RAAF he resumed at the Brisbane Regional Office in 1946. He obtained his Science degree the hard way, as a part-time student for several years, but gained a distinction in physics III with first place in the 1951 year. He completed the 1954/55 meteorologist training course and was appointed Meteorologist Grade I at the Queensland Regional Office in 1955, with subsequent promotions to Met. Grade III in 1958 and Met. Class III in 1964.

Even before he was appointed as a Meteorologist, he was chosen to make an investigation of the long range forecasting theories of Inigo Jones ordered by the Minister for the Interior. For this purpose he was attached to Crohamhurst Observatory for several months in 1953. The investigation required an exacting study of astronomy, statistics, physics and meteorology; no other officer could have carried out this task more effectively.

Apart from meteorology, his great love was music. He was a gifted organist , having played at the Brisbane City Hall as well as a number of churches in Brisbane. Another interest, in his more active days, was fishing. He had own boat and loved to spend week-ends in Moreton Bay with his fishing cronies. More recently he was content to throw in a line at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast.

Everything he tackled was done in a meticulous and painstaking manner. If Herb had done a job you knew that it was done as well as it possibly could be. He was a deep thinker, an excellent critic and a completely professional meteorologist. Men like him are few and far between.

We shall sorely miss him.

Bureau of Meteorology