ANMRC Head Retires [Reg Clarke]

Reg began with the Bureau in October 1940 as a recruit to the RAAF Meteorological Service from the South Australian Education Department

He trained in Melbourne under Len Dwyer, "Tiny" Newell and Fritz Loewe. Other pupils on the course included Andy Garriock, Bryan Rofe, Bill Brann, Don Wright and DIR.

During the war Reg was stationed at several locations including Canberra and the Northern Territory. In Canberra, he first exhibited a tireless curiosity about the intricacies of the atmosphere through his attempts to explain the nature of sea breezes. To achieve this, Reg fitted his car with met instruments and, using his meagre and precious store of petrol, travelled frequently to the coast measuring temperature and wind variations.

Reg remained with the Bureau after the war and, following a brief period as OIC Canberra, was promoted to the analysis and weather development section in Melbourne.

During his service there he made a significant contribution to the development of the Central Analysis Section and the Bureau's limited research and development programme. Discussions between Clarke, Lillywhite, Rutherford, Philipot, Holmes, Lloyd, McRae Karelsky and DIR during that time were never dull and often fiery.

Despite this research, Reg maintained his interest sea breezes and spent vacations using equipment and supplies wheedled from the Bureau to make observations particularly between Esperance and Kalgoorlie.

In 1957, Reg joined the CSIRO Division of Meteorological Physics at Aspendale and embarked on a distinguished research career. He used the Princeton Numerical Weather Prediction Model to produce a hemispheric forecast for the southern hemisphere and in doing so showed a remarkable degree of skill.

In 1965, Reg was appointed OIC of ANMRC, a post he filled with great distinction until his retirement early this year.

Those people who had the privilege of working with Reg will have been stimulated by the sharpness of mind, the penetration of his observations, the depth of his convictions, the clarity of his prose style and his forceful oratory.

Bureau of Meteorology