Bill Ware Ends on a High Note

Jan and Bill Ware and other family members were guests of honour at a crowded lunch. Back at Head Office, Bill's 33 years of Bureau service were applauded by a very mixed choir ('keep your day jobs', the large audience suggested) which saluted the WIZARD OF AUS with heartfelt lyrics to the approximate tune of Over The Rainbow. At one stage Bill looked up to see half the audience hiding behind photo masks of that familiar, beaming, 'no worries, mate' Bill Ware face.

Speakers Peter Dawson, John Mottram and Bill Downey paid tribute to his years involved in Antarctic duties (he holds the Antarctic medal), his Training Centre era, and concluding service in Executive Branch. They chronicled his skills as an instructor, mentor and father figure. There were little known anecdotes like his tendency (before more formal arrangements were set up) to dip into his own pocket to ease the pain of families' Antarctic separation by sending anniversary flowers and the like.

Master of Ceremonies, Bill Downey, presented Bill with a large framed photograph of an Antarctic scene, thanked him for his tremendous contribution to the work of the Bureau and for the spirit of comradeship that he engendered throughout his career.

Bureau of Meteorology