The Aviation Field Staff

Forecasters in field offices were required to serve at any location designated by the Bureau. Col Glendinning (1996) describes the typical frequent changes of location he experienced. Most staff were aware that this frequent change of location was a condition of their employment and accepted the situation. Many enjoyed seeing and living in different parts of the country. Sometimes the inconvenience of transferring children to differing systems of education, with wives having to cope with unfamiliar housing and different environments, were sources of irritation.

In 1934 in Darwin, W. A. (Walter) Dwyer was the first person to be located at a field office. He was a most colourful character, given to the use of Latin tags, ipso facto, mutatis mutandis, ultra vires, etc, and the possessor of prestigious motor cars such as Stutz and Rolls Royce, much envied by those of us not affluent enough to own even a more mundane motor vehicle. In 1948, following H. N. Warren's promotion of Walter to the position of Divisional Meteorologist in charge of the Divisional Office in Perth, arrangements were made for the transfer of Walter's family and personal effects to Perth. Much to the consternation of Warren and Walter, an appeal by George Mackey against Walter's promotion was successful. Walter survived the inconvenience, expense and humiliation of these events without loss of dignity and his acceptance of this reversal of fortune was generally admired. He was a dedicated meteorologist destined to make his mark in World Meteorological Organization (WMO) international cooperation in the provision of meteorological service to aviation.

Bureau of Meteorology