The First Weather Ship

[knocker]

Weather Ships played a key role reporting weather and as aircraft navigational aids from the Atlantic (and elsewhere) before technological advances made them redundant. I've been trawling through British newspapers and a fair bit of interesting information can be found. This is of limited general interest but the Sphere did a full page cover of the Observer, the first British one, about to go into service. I should add that this was even before my time.

The Sphere - Saturday 09 August 1947

Image © Illustrated London News Group

 

observer.pdf

[knocker]

The Sphere - Saturday 31 May 1958 did a more comprehensive three page  coverage when the ships started to be upgraded to converted frigates with the Reporter being the first. Now i was on that one a couple of years later. I'm off to get the violin out

 

 

reporter.pdf

reporter 2.pdf

reporter 3.pdf

[knocker]

A couple of photos from October 1962 in stormy conditions which would have been just before I left the ship. Waves coming over the stern in storm conditions were always a worry as this was the balloon filling and sonde launching area and in 40 foot plus seas enough water would cascade in to fill the balloon shed' Looking back on it now it's amazing that nobody was killed or seriously injured over the many years although a good friend of mine did sustain five broken ribs as he got washed down the side of the balloon shed.

Edited September 21, 2017 by knocker

[johnholmes]

I am sure I hve sai before anyone doing that job had to be either mad or a born seaman. It makes me feel queasy just looking at the photos and reading the links you have provided.

As always k, thank you for showing folk just what some Met staff did to allow we shorbound folk to plot charts and do forecasts.

[knocker]

11 minutes ago, johnholmes said:

I am sure I hve sai before anyone doing that job had to be either mad or a born seaman. It makes me feel queasy just looking at the photos and reading the links you have provided.

As always k, thank you for showing folk just what some Met staff did to allow we shorbound folk to plot charts and do forecasts.

Funny thing is John that I left the Reporter just after that and started work at Larkhill at the beginning of January 1963. Perfect timing and It took me nearly a year to thaw out and get back to sea.