Closing Years of the War (continued)

Advice and forecasts to the Navy from the GHQ weather unit were frequent in these years, when shipping was just as important to the Allies as aircraft, and almost as scarce. To send one ship, say, to Milne Bay in clear weather was simply asking for its destruction, so that the meteorological men were required to advise Naval authorities when such important island bases would be closed in by weather for an extended period, enabling discharging to go on without interruption from Japanese Air Force units based in the Solomons and New Britain.

By late in 1944, however, with the front line moving steadily away from Australia, the nature of the work at GHQ weather section had changed, allowing more attention to be given to research. In the Pacific island weather stations, on the other hand, the tempo was increasing rapidly.

From the nucleus of three RAAF weather men formed at Port Moresby in January 1944, the 10 Operational Group meteorological section grew to extend through Nadzab (New Guinea), Cape Gloucester (New Britain), Tadji (New Guinea), Hollandia (Dutch New Guinea), Noemfoor Island and Morotai Island (Halmaheras)—at the latter, incidentally, cooperating with the advanced headquarters of RAAF Command in plans for the invasion of Borneo in June and July of 1945. By that time 10OG had become First Tactical Air Force.

A completely mobile weather section, fully equipped with supplies for six months, left Morotai Island in the second convoy for Labuan Island on D Day for Borneo (10 June 1945) and, arriving during the actual naval bombardment, commenced operations a few days later. By 15 August, when the Japanese surrendered, a D.Met.S. weather station also was operating at Tarakan, and at Balikpapan, Australian meteorological staff were working in conjunction with NEI Army weather men.

Altogether, by this time, the operational strength of D.Met.S. had grown to 212 officers, 289 meteorological assistants and 300 meteorological charters—compared with 69 permanent officers and 86 assistants who joined the RAAF at the transfer of the weather organisation to the control of the Department of Air. Operational stations had increased from 34 to 98—including many of a highly mobile nature—and developmental sections had been established and extended for research into tropical and temperate weather formations.

Not long afterwards disbandment commenced at a large number of centres, although a party of volunteer weather men moved to Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force and two other members of D.Met.S. proceeded to Singapore on temporary duty.

Demobilisation was completed on 30 June 1946, when the Commonwealth meteorological organisation returned to the Department of the Interior.

Reverting to civil control on 1 July 1946. Left to right are Flight Lieutenant R. Hodgins, Wing Commander E. W. Timcke, Group Captain H. N. Warren and Flight Sergeant J. Napthali (Photograph courtesy of The Age) Australian War Memorial negative no. 044698

Bureau of Meteorology