Long Serving Officers Retire [Jack Maher and Kev Lomas]

Both were given well-attended farewells by colleagues, past and present, who paid tribute to the contribution by both men to the Bureau.

Jack Maher's Record Service

Jack had the distinction of being the longest serving member of the Bureau, having joined 45 years ago as a Junior Meteorological Assistant. He gained a Bachelor of Science degree from Melbourne University in 1939 and was promoted to Met. 1 the following year. For the next two years he worked in the NSW RO, providing public weather forecasts and aviation forecasts for the Rose Bay flying boat service.

In 1942 Jack began his long association with Head Office, first in Research and Training (9 years), then Central Analysis (4 years), followed by Climatological (3 years) and finally in Weather Records and Statistics, where he worked for 21 years until his retirement. In all these areas he held positions of responsibility, either as a Senior or Supervising Meteorologist. At the time of his retirement he was Acting Assistant Director (services).

Over the years Jack became a leading expert in the study and analysis of meteorological statistics. particularly those relating to drought conditions. This led to the development of the Bureau's Drought Watch System , which plays an important role in the Federal and State drought mitigation and relief schemes.

Jack also was the Bureau's representative on the WMO's Commission for Climatology, and in this capacity he attended meetings of the Commission in London (1960), Stockholm (1965) and Geneva (1970).

He has started his retirement with a three month overseas trip, accompanied by a former Bureau colleague, John Lillywhite.

Kev Lomas, Foundation Member of CTS

Kev Lomas was introduced to meteorology in 1942 when he enlisted in the RAAF as a Met. Asst. His first posting was to Cloncurry in Queensland. where he worked with the U.S. Met. Squadron, which at that time was using the first radiosondes in Australia.

Joining the Bureau after the war, Kev spent the first 12 months at Laverton and Essendon airports. Then, in 1947, with Harry Ashton and the late Chas James, he founded the H.O. Central Training School. Over the years he rose from a Technical Instructor to Senior Technical Instructor, and finally to Senior Instructor Observer.

In his 22 years with the CTS Kev estimates that more than 1000 trainees passed through his hands. His pupils included the present DIR John Zillman, several other senior officers, and about 30 overseas trainees.

He has the distinction of being the only Observer to represent the Bureau at an international conference, which he achieved by attending the WMO Regional Seminar for the training of national instructors of meteorological technical personnel, held at Colombo, Ceylon in 1970.

Kev and his wife plan to travel next year to New Zealand, the U.S. and Canada. In the meantime they will continue their work for the Dandenong Mentally Retarded Association, of which both are life members.

Bureau of Meteorology