Death of H. E. Banfield

Henry Banfield was born in Bega, N.S.W., in 1887. He enlisted in the first A.I.F. (20th Battalion) in 1915 and served in Egypt, Gallipoli, Sinai and later in France where he took part in several battles, one at Mont St. Quentin, northeast of Peronne. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in May 1916 and later his appointment to Lieutenant was confirmed. In September 1918, he was awarded the Military Cross for outstanding bravery.

Shortly after his return to Australia, he transferred from the P.M.G. Department to the Weather Bureau, Sydney, as a meteorological, assistant. In 1935, he was promoted to a meteorologist position in Adelaide but before taking up duty was seconded to Brisbane, then Sydney and later Head Office, Melbourne. It was not till 1938 that he actually commenced in Adelaide.

In WWII, he was appointed a Flight Lieutenant in the R.A.A.F. Meteorological Services, then promoted to Squadron Leader in 1943 and posted as Area Met. Officer at Darwin. After nine months' service there he was posted as Area Met. Officer, Western Area and stationed at Perth. In 1944, he was transferred to the Aviation Section in Head Office, Melbourne.

After discharge from the R.A.A.F. at the end of the war, Mr Banfield was appointed Deputy Director Tasmania and in 1948 he was transferred to Adelaide as Deputy Director South Australia, where he retired from the service on November 4, 1952. He remarried in 1969 and is survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters and eight grandchildren, as well as a sister.

Allan Brunt, RD SA, writes: "His death represents the passing of an era in the history of Australian Meteorology. He served the Bureau unobtrusively but efficiently over a period of 32 years, with service in all States. Typical of his retiring nature was the fact that few people knew he held the Military Cross for bravery in World War I. His early service in the Bureau covered the period between the two world wars, when Australian meteorology was fairly young. In his later years he saw the explosion of meteorological services during World War II and its entry into the electronic age. Truly, a link with the past has been broken."

In a note to Mrs Banfield, expressing condolences from friends in the Bureau, DIR Bill Gibbs wrote that "Henry's death caused a great deal of sadness among his old colleagues within the Bureau. We had a very great respect and affection for 'Banny'. He was always so dapper, wise and cheerful." Thanking the DIR, Mrs Banfield wrote that "Evans had been looking forward to seeing you and other friends in the Bureau when we were to visit his sister in May, but we had to cancel that trip as he was not feeling too well.

He only had 11 days in hospital and was kept free of pain. He passed away in his sleep."

Bureau of Meteorology