WEATHER EXPERTS

Camp News, Volume 3, Issue 113, 13 March 1942, Page 5

WEATHER EXPERTS

Appointment To Air Force Positions The importance placed by the Air Force on accurate weather information by its own experts is shown by the recent appointment of a large number of officers of the meteorological service to the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Nineteen have been gazetted to vari ous, ranks, of which the highest is wing commander and the lowest pilot officer.

The senior officer is Wing Commander M. A. F. Barnett, whose civilian duties were those of Director of Meteorological Services. . lie had a distinguished academic career and at Cambridge University was a pupil of Lord Rutherford. He gave particular attention in his studies to various aspects of radio research and to those aspects of meteorology affecting aviation. Second in command to Wing Commander Barnett is Squadron. Leader R. G. Simmers, who is a doctor of science and has been with the meteorological service since 1928. He was awarded the Polar Medal i.. bronze for his work with the Mawson expedition to the Antarctic in 1929-31. , . Other officers, all of whom hold high university degrees, are gazetted as j follows: —Flight Lieutenant, acting- ! Squadron Leader C. E. Palmer; Flying Officers, acting-Flight Lieutenants C. •J. Seelye, J. F. Gabites, C. G. Green, N. G. Robertson and I. E. M. Watts; Flying Officers C. W. Tremewan, E. H. Howell, A. B. F. Ayers and C. W. Stewart ; Pilot Officers, acting-Flying ; Officers J. A. Hunter, D. I. Patterson and I. S. Kerr; Pilot Officers J. W. Hutchings, E. G. Edie, M. L. Browne 'and C. S. Ramage.