From the Archives

Radio 13.9.08

Wartime Weather Forecasts.

The importance of weather forecasting for the defence forces during World War11 is well documented. Understandingly, secrecy was paramount and this is why the Weather Bureaux were taken over by the Air Ministry in both Australia and the UK.

In the UK, early in the war there was a limited one-day forecast, issued by the Air ministry to the media. However it soon became apparent clear skies were an open invitation for the Luftwaffe to attack and a complete ban was imposed on all plain language weather forecasts

In 1941/2 the Merchant Navy in the North Atlantic experienced devastating losses of between 50 – 100 ships per month. Food supplies in the UK were at a dangerously low level, especially imported grain. The harvest of 1942 was a critical factor in the outcome of the war and it changed the farming scene in most parts of Britain. Pastures disappeared as land was ploughed and drained for cereal crops, much for the first time in history. Farmers needed all the help they could get and weather forecasts were high in their list of priorities.

The Air Ministry agreed to issue a daily area weather forecast to assist farmers to provide food for the nation. An area forecast was sent in code to the local War Agriculture Committee officer who would then telephone the coded message to farmers in his area.

A simple code was used. For 24-hour forecasts the words were Dog, Horse, Cow, Sheep and Pig. For longer term forecasts the words used were Fat, Sell and Buy The message would begin with pabulum (Latin for food ) followed by name of the county. For example, ‘Pabulum Kent Buy Dog’ would mean ~ no rain in Kent during next 24 hours, low humidity and sunshine, with a further outlook of continuing settled or good weather for some time ahead.

The wartime weather censorship in Australia was a little different and we can have a chat about this next time.

JOKE of the WEEK

Joe the farmer wants to know how many ewes he owns, so he asks his sheepdog to count them. “Four hundred,” says the Kelpie. Joe isn’t convinced and spends the day counting them. “You’re wrong,” he tells his dog. “There are only 394.”

“Well,” says the Kelpie. “I rounded them up.”