War History of the Australian Meteorological Service
Foreword
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: D.Met.S.—Australia's Wartime Weather Service
Chapter 2: The Weather Factor in Warfare
Chapter 3: Met in the Retreat
Chapter 4: Met in the Advance
Port Moresby to Milne Bay
New Pacific Stations
9 Operational Group
10 Operational Group
Northern Command
First Tactical Air Force
Labuan Island
The End in Singapore
Chapter 5: Meteorology in Aviation
Chapter 6: Central Forecasting Services
Chapter 7: Met With the Army
Chapter 8: Research and Personnel Training
Chapter 9: Instrumental Development and Maintenance
Chapter 10: Scientific Developments in the RAAF Meteorological Service
Chapter 11: Divisional Bureaux and Their Work
Appendix 1: List of Reports Provided by D.Met.S. for Advances Operational Planning and Other Purposes
Appendix 2: List of Service Personnel RAAF Meteorological Service
Appendix 3: List of Civilian Personnel Who Worked Together with Service Personnel of the RAAF Meteorological Service
Appendix 4: List of Locations at which RAAF Meteorological Service Personnel Served
Index
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Port Moresby to Milne Bay (continued)
Like Port Moresby, the station at Milne Bay was used to train new weather personnel in local conditions before their movement to more advanced stations as the offensive mounted and the forces advanced.As the enemy was driven back, so the Australian and American squadrons moved on. By the end of November 1943 demands on the Milne Bay met station had become almost negligible, so it ceased operations for the time being on 10 December 1943, and was closed a week later, staff members being distributed between Port Moresby and new forward stations.
Shortly before operations ceased at Milne Bay the advanced headquarters of 9 Operational Group, RAAF, was moved from Milne Bay to Goodenough Island in the Trobriand group. Sqn Ldr J. N. McRae as group meteorological officer moved with the headquarters with necessary staff and equipment.
Preliminary establishment work at Goodenough Island meteorological station had been carried out by FO (later Fl Lt) D. G. McIntyre and his assistants, who arrived early in June 1943 from Port Moresby by way of Milne Bay. The self-contained nature of meteorological sections is illustrated by the fact that every conceivable need for the station, from instruments to blotting paper, was carried by air in some 12 cases weighing altogether about 13cwt.
A vivid comment on the primitive nature of these forward bases at the time is given by the fact that it took four hours to travel the five miles from the airstrip to the wing camp, including crossing 20 uncharted waterways. Greatest compensation for the met men perched precariously on top of the equipment, carefully nursing the barometer and barograph, was the majesty of Mount Nimodao, rising to 8000 feet and dominating the small island.
Goodenough meteorological section provided forecasting services for fighter squadrons and travel flights, as well as to aircraft of 6 and 100 Squadrons (which had moved up from Milne Bay) and 8 Squadron (from the mainland). These were engaged chiefly in strikes extending as far as the eastern coast of southern New Ireland, sometimes even to Buka Passage in the northern Solomons. Weather information was also provided for sweeps by 22 and 30 Squadrons against Japanese supply barge movements.
People in Bright Sparcs - McRae, John Neil
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© 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
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