Bryan Rofe

Bryan Rofe

Bryan joined the Bureau in 1940, being a member of the first war-time meteorologist training course. From the training course he was posted with Doug Forder and Arch Shields to the RAAF station at Pearce in Western Australia.

He was posted with Arch Shields to Timor as a RAAF Flying Officer in 1942. He and Arch had many interesting experiences in Timor, including frequent bombing and strafing by Japanese aircraft. When the decision was made to evacuate Koepang, it was impossible for all RAAF personnel to be evacuated and Arch and Bryan tossed a coin to see who should stay. Bryan remained and was put in charge of the RAAF detachment which evaded the Japanese for some months, before being picked up from a beach at night by an American submarine.

As a result of his outstanding leadership of this party under excessively trying jungle conditions and continual harassment by Japanese patrols, Bryan was awarded the MBE. Bryan returned to Perth in an emaciated condition but with a most luxuriant beard. After a brief period in hospital he was posted to East Sale and subsequently saw service in charge of a RAAF Mobile Meteorological Flight and at various RAAF stations, being discharged in 1946 with the rank of Squadron Leader.

In 1947, Bryan joined the Weapons Research establishment of the Department of Supply and was stationed at Salisbury in South Australia. He initiated and organised a program of upper atmosphere meteorological research using a wide variety of meteorological rockets. His group developed the highly successful "Kookaburra" meteorological sounding rocket together with the meteorological sensors it contained. This work involved rocket trials at Woomera where he worked closely with George Trefry who was OIC of the Bureau's Meteorological Office at that time.

Bryan was appointed Director of the Antarctic Division in August 1970, and accompanied the expedition to Mawson and Davis in the 1970/71 summer.

Bryan had a host of friends among his Bureau of Meteorology colleagues. His adventurous spirit, fruitful imagination and friendly nature endeared him-to all who knew him.

His colleagues mourn his untimely death and offer their condolences to his widow Pat, and children Diedre, Paul, Peter, Patricia and Mary-Anne.

W. J. G.

Bureau of Meteorology