The Life and Bureau Times of Graham Linnett (continued)

Merv became disenchanted with the Bureau and transferred to the then Department of Shipping and Transport later to become the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. I acted as Senior Observer (Radio) for a short period. My tour at Brisbane was from approximately April to December 1966. I was relieved as Senior Observer (Radio) by the 'old master' Jack Byrne from Hobart.

One of the major tasks carried out at Eagle Farm was JACMAS watches. These were the forerunner of the terminal area severe turbulence service and were a primitive means of guiding aircraft around severe thunderstorms. This system was devised and implemented after the crash of a Viscount aircraft into Botany Bay. It was my introduction to the research side of the Bureau. In addition, it resulted in much overtime, sometimes to 11.00 pm, tracking thunderstorms passing around and over Brisbane. The money may have been good but the fatigue of the radar watch soon took the edge off it.

Towards December 1966 it was decided that more staff than necessary were on hand at Eagle Farm and that some adjustments were required. Now the old field officers' pool was a wonderful thing. Every two years you were expected to move on to a new station and let someone else move into your spot and catch up on some of the experiences and niceties of life they missed out on by being in the bush. Like all these fairytale systems, inequities soon creep in and lo and behold someone has been in a spot for a longer than normal time and someone thinks he should move. They ask him nicely, but human nature being what it is, he declines their kind offer. That, to the old clerical types of the time, was like a 'red rag to a bull'. We'll move him anyway was their response.

Now it came to pass that the considered opinion of the Bureau's hierarchy deemed the occupant at Williamtown should be transferred to Sydney to further benefit his career and the Bureau overall. I'm advised "you are to be transferred to Williamtown in December 1966 on a two year posting". You beauty! The chance to work on, and enjoy all that goes with life on a Luftwaffe base. The paperwork goes through and furniture pickup date has been arranged. At approx 9 pm on the evening prior to pick up I get a call from the Staff Clerk saying, "the two year posting has been cancelled but you'll still have to go on a three months temporary transfer to cover the incumbent's recreation leave, sick leave and long service leave etc". The old 'Philadelphia lawyer' proved too smart for the best of the Bureau's clerical brains. I left Williamtown about April 1967; he stayed.

Bureau of Meteorology