Person

Rofe, Bryan (1918 - 1971)

MBE

Born
1918
South Australia, Australia
Died
27 August 1971
South Yarra, Victora, Australia
Occupation
Military scientist and Science administrator

Summary

Bryan Rofe served as a Flight-Lieutenant in the RAAF Meteorological Service, was a Principal Research Officer at the Australian Weapons Research Establishment, South Australia 1948-1970 and was Director of the Australian Antarctic Division 1970-1971.

He worked at Woomera where he initiated and organised a program of upper atmosphere meteorological research using a wide variety of meteorological rockets. His group developed the highly successful "Kookaburra" meteorological sounding rocket together with the meteorological sensors it contained.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services during the Second World War.

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Details

Chronology

1940 -
Career position - Weather Officer, Meteorological Branch, Melbourne, Department of the Interior [member of first war-time meteorologist training course]
1941 - 1946
Military service - Second World War. Flight Lieutenant / Squadron Leader, Royal Australian Air Force
23 Oct 1942
Award - Member of the Order of Australia (MBE) - RAAF - Bravery during evacuation from Timor
1948 - 1970
Career position - Scientific Officer / Principal Scientific Officer, Australian Weapons Research Establishment, South Australia
1970 - 1971
Career position - Director, Australian Antarctic Division
1971
Buried - Springvale Botanical Cemetery

Related Corporate Bodies

Archival resources

National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection

  • Bryan Rofe - Records, 1948 - 1971, MS 3727; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details

Published resources

Journal Articles

Resources

See also

Gavan McCarthy; Ken McInnes

Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 4 March 2026

EOAS ID: biogs/P000754b.htm

This Edition: 2026 February - 1926 Centenaries
Kooyang - Gariwerd calendar - Late summer: late January to late March - season of eels
Reference: https://www.bom.gov.au/resources/indigenous-weather-knowledge/indigenous-seasonal-calendars/gariwerd-calendar#bom-anchor-list__item-kooyang-season-of-eels

Publisher: Swinburne University of Technology.

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