Training Statistics

Meteorological Officers

January to March 1940, two trained. March to October 1940, 22. RAAF Meteorological Officers' Course No 1 (January-July 1941), 16; No 2 (September 1941-January 1942, 19 (first conversion course for meteorological assistants); No 3 (March-August 1942, 16 (first WAAAF Meteorological Officer trained); No 4 (June-October 1942), 8; No 5 (September 1942-February 1943), 11 (including six members of the WAAAF); No 6 (October 1942-January 1943), 13; No 7 (March-June 1943), 14; No 10 (December 1943-May 1944), 19 (including two members of the WAAAF); No 11 (January-May 1945), 14.

Meteorological Officers Course No 11. From left to right are, back row, Sergeant V. Mattison, Sergeant R. M. Kain, Sergeant H. W. Baker, Flight Sergeant J. E. Hay, Flight Sergeant D. D. Butler, Flight Sergeant W. H. E. Rowe; centre row, Sergeant A. J. Davis, Sergeant E. J. Adams, Warrant Officer B. B. McEwan, Squadron Leader D. H. Forder, Flight Sergeant K. W. Newton, Flight Sergeant A. V. Gotley; front row, Flight Sergeant J. A. McGill, Flight Sergeant G. J. Noonan, Able Seaman J. F. Thomas, Sergeant F. J. Pearce and Sergeant G. L. Spence

Course No 12, in which the 14 trainees included two WAAAF personnel, was abandoned at the cessation of hostilities. It was commenced in January 1945.

Meteorological Assistants

A total of 36 meteorological observers was trained prior to September 1939, and in 1940 an additional 19 were trained. With the establishment of the RAAF Directorate of Meteorological Services, the title of meteorological assistant was given to this mustering and instructional classes extended up to September 1945. For Course No 5 onwards, WAAAF personnel were included in some of the courses, and from Course No 8, selected meteorological charters were given an opportunity of qualifying for the higher mustering.

Individual course statistics were: No 1 (May-August 1941), 32 personnel trained; No 2 (September-December 1941), 24: No 3 (January-April 1942), 28; No 4 (March-June 1942), 21; No 5 (June-September 1942), 23 (first WAAAF meteorological assistant trained); No 6 (September-December 1942), 33; No 7 (October 1942-January 1943), 28; No 8 (January-March 1943), 21 (abridged course for meteorological charters); No 9 (January-April 1943), 19; No 10 (January-June 1943), 22; No 11 (May-August 1943), 32; No 12 (June-October 1943), 29; No 13 (November 1943-March 1944), 26; No 14 (January-March 1945), 18; No 15 (March-May 1945), 11; No 16 (July-September 1945), 14; No 17 (August-September 1945), 15.

There were also some remusters from meteorological charter to meteorological assistant carried out by means of trade tests at various RAAF stations, commencing in September 1943 when one man was successful. In May 1944 12 charters were remustered; in July 1944, 6; and in March 1945 an additional one. In this trade test, examination results of practical tests were assessed at the respective stations, while written tests were prepared and submitted for consideration by the research and training section, which, in turn, submitted recommendations for remuster.

Meteorological Charters

Statistics for meteorological charters' courses were: No 1 (August-September 1941), 8 personnel trained; No 2 (November 1941), 5; No 3 (December 1941-January 1942), 8; No 4 (January-February 1942), 3; No 5 (March-April 1942), 17; No 6 (May-June 1942) 8; No 7 (June-July 1942 ), 24; No 8 (July-August 1942), 23; No 9 (August-September 1942), 25; No 10 (September-October 1942), 19; No 11 (October-November 1942), 23; No 12 (November-December 1942), 26; No 13 (December 1942-January 1943), 42; No 14 (February-March 1943), 42; No 15 (March-April 1943), 19; No 16 (May 1943), 23; No 17 (June-July 1943), 37; No 18 (August-September 1943), 13; No 19 (October-November 1943), 31; No 20 (November-December 1943), 15; No 21 (March-April 1944), 15; No 22 (April-May 1944) 12; No 23 (June 1944), 6; No 24 (July 1944), 10; No 25 (August-September 1944), 5: No 26 (October-November 1944), 17; No 27 (November-December 1944), 9; No 28 (December 1944-January 1945), 34; No 29 (January-February 1945), 38; No 30 (April 1945); No 31 (June-July 1945).

Meteorological Charters Course No 30. From left to right are, back row Leading Aircraftman N. B. Eastman, Aircraftman R. S. Smith, Aircraftman G. H. Eastwell, Aircraftman J. W. G. Greenwood, Aircraftman H. C. Grimshaw, Leading Aircraftman R. M. Weston, Leading Aircraftman M. A. Sharpe, Aircraftman J. Bennett; centre row, Aircraftman R. T. La Fontaine, Aircraftman O. G. Finn, Aircraftman J. Rutherford, Flight Sergeant L. F. Diplock, Aircraftman K. D. Riley, Aircraftman W. J. Moore, Leading Aircraftman T. Clifford; front row, Aircraftman G. W. Solomon, Aircraftman A. J. Giese, Leading Aircraftman A. R. Catford, Aircraftman N. C. Summers, Aircraftman M. I. Walsh and Aircraftman R. W. Vincent

Bureau of Meteorology