Glimpse of the RAAF Meteorological Service
Preface
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1: Growing Up
Chapter 2: Port Moresby Before Pearl Harbour
Sydney to Port Moresby by DH-86
First Impressions of Port Moresby
Meteorological Office Routine
Flight to Kokoda
Tropical Meteorology
John (Doc) Hogan
Setting up House
We Join the RAAF
A Contrast in Attitudes
Some RAAF History
RAAF No 10 Squadron
RAAF No 11 Squadron
The Catalina Story
Construction of the Seven-mile Airstrip and Reclamation Area
Meteorological Service for the RAAF
Unexpected Vistitors
Our State of Readiness
Our Domestic Situation
A Japanese Surprise Packet
What Had We Meteorologists Achieved?
Chapter 3: Port Moresby After Pearl Harbour
Chapter 4: Allied Air Force HQ and RAAF Command, Brisbane
Chapter 5: Japan Surrenders and We Are Demobilised
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Appendix 1: References
Appendix 2: Milestones
Appendix 3: Papers Published in Tropical Weather Research Bulletins
Appendix 4: Radiosonde Observations 1941–46
Index
Search
Help
Contact us
The Catalina Story (continued)
On 1 August 1941 No 20 Squadron RAAF was formed in Port Moresby with Sqn Ldr W. N. 'Hoot' Gibson DFC (late of No 10 Squadron) in charge. The new squadron took over the six Catalinas No 11 Squadron had at that time, leaving it with the four Short Empire 'C' Class flying boats it had acquired from Qantas by that time. In due course, No 11 Squadron acquired more Catalinas. More aircraft meant a considerable increase in the number of aircrew and ground staff in Port Moresby. Old timers like Sims, Gurney, Hemsworth, Mather and Purton had been joined by former Qantas and RAAF pilots like Caldwell, Len Grey, Hampshire, Hirst, Seymour and Sloan. There had been a corresponding increase in ground staff. A station headquarters was established on 1 August 1941 with Wing Cmdr Charles Pearce (formerly of No 10 Squadron) in charge, with equipment, intelligence, communication, medical, dental and administrative officers, a padre, and many other ranks.Construction of the Seven-mile Airstrip and Reclamation Area
A number of facilities were built in 1941 for the RAAF in the Port Moresby area. The airstrip at Kila Kila was too small for any but smaller aircraft although the DH-86 used it without much runway to spare on take-off. A larger airstrip was being constructed by a private contractor (Stubbs), under the supervision of the Commonwealth Department of Works, at the 'Seven-mile' on the road to Rouna Falls.Material was also being excavated from the hillside adjacent to the road below our house which ran along the harbour front between Port Moresby and Konedobu. The rock excavated from the hillside was to form a flat area (the 'reclamation area') extending into the harbour. The reclamation area was to have a ramp for hauling out the flying boats for servicing, a workshop, offices for station headquarters staff (including the communications and meteorological sections) and two concrete windowless air-raid shelters with horizontal dimensions about 3 by 10 metres. Inside, the air-raid shelters were bare except for some long low forms along the walls capable of accommodating perhaps 40 people or more.
 |
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/0411.html