Memories of the Bureau, 1946 to 1962
Foreword
Terminology
Prologue
Preface
Chapter 1: The Warren Years, 1946 to 1950
Warren the Man
Warren Joins the Bureau
Wartime Perceptions and Attitudes
Return to Civvy Street
Frosterley
People in the Bureau
Re-establishing and Reorganising the Bureau
Reorganisation of Central Office
The Position of Chief Scientific Officer
Post-War Reorganisation
The Haldane Story
Public Weather Services
The New South Wales Divisional Office
The Victorian Divisional Office
The Queensland Divisional Office
The South Australian Divisional Office
The Western Australian Divisional Office
The Tasmanian Divisional Office
Pre-war Services for Civil Aviation
Post-War Meteorological Service for Aviation
Indian Ocean Survey Flight
The Aviation Field Staff
Synoptic Analysis, Prognosis and Forecasting
Antarctic and Southern Ocean Meteorology
A Wider Scientific Horizon
Research, Development and Special Investigations
Analysts' Conference, April 1950
Instruments and Observations
Radiosondes
Radar Winds and Radar Weather Watch
Telecommunications
Climate and Statistics
Training
Publications
CSIRO
The Universities
Achievements of the Warren Years
Chapter 2: International Meteorology
Chapter 3: The Timcke Years, 1950 to 1955
Chapter 4: A Year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Chapter 5: The Dwyer Years, 1955 to 1962
Chapter 6: A Springboard for the Future
Appendix 1: References
Appendix 2: Reports, Papers, Manuscripts
Appendix 3: Milestones
Appendix 4: Acknowledgements
Appendix 5: Summary by H. N. Warren of the Operation of the Meteorological Section of Allied Air Headquarters, Brisbane, 1942–45
Endnotes
Index
Search
Help
Contact us
Synoptic Analysis, Prognosis and Forecasting (continued)
In the early years of the CAO, in 1946 and 1947, I found the shift work debilitating. When on early shift it was necessary to take the first train from Upper Ferntree Gully about 6 am, arriving in Melbourne about an hour later.On the late shift there was a rush to finish analysis of the 9 pm chart and hurry on foot to the Flinders Street station in time to catch the last train of the day to Ferntree Gully. On occasions, when observations were delayed by communication difficulties, I missed the last train and had to sleep on a stretcher in the office.
These tiring travel arrangements and the primitive accommodation resulting from the desperate post-war housing shortage dulled the gloss of working as a meteorologist, a profession which I thoroughly enjoyed. My wife, Audrey, kept house for me and our two small girls without a word of complaint. Her industry, cheerfulness and optimism made us a very happy family.
Dissatisfied with the situation after many months of train travel and shift work, late in 1946 I decided to apply for the position of Lecturer in Geography at the University College of the University of Sydney which was being formed in Armidale on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. When I received word in January 1947 that my application had been successful I wrote to the University College asking them to arrange accommodation in Armidale for me and my family.
I also told H. N. Warren that my application had been successful. His reaction was to ask me to reconsider, suggesting I had the promise of a successful career in the Bureau. He also mentioned that he would be attending meetings of the Technical Commissions of the International Meteorological Organization (IMO) in Toronto and the IMO Conference of Directors in Washington DC later in the year and asked if I was interested in making the trip to Canada and the US as his assistant.
In the meantime I received an unhelpful reply to my request to the University College for assistance in obtaining accommodation.
This chain of events persuaded me to write to the University College, explaining that without the guarantee of suitable accommodation I could not accept the appointment as Lecturer in Geography, and to inform Warren of my decision.
Organisations in Australian Science at Work - Central Analysis Office (CAO)
People in Bright Sparcs - Warren, Herbert Norman
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© Online Edition Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre and Bureau of Meteorology 2001
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