[Observer1940]

Hello Chris and All

Unfortunately, I have not been following this posting and I am no Meteorological expert!

However, I have noticed a contributor on the Ross Neill's Forum mentioned that there was no 1401 Met Flight ORB before around 1942.

There is definitely an ORB for a "Meteorological Flight" as I have a photo of the page for 28.7.1940 to 22.8.1940 for the "Meteorological Flight" then based at Aldergrove (taken last month) and in AIR 29/866.

Correct me if I am wrong, as my memory is poor, but in a Bomber Command file, the other additional Met Flights were not proposed until late 1940.

Bircham Newton
According to a selection of other photos taken at random, the ORB volume indicates that page 1 of 1403 Met Flight operated from BIRCHAM NEWTON 1st April [and somebody has entered in pencil "1941" on the ORB page].

I have a photo of the first Form 541 page (in the ORB volume) as being "1403 Met Flt" "1/4/41".

2. Are researchers aware that it was an offence under the Official Secrets Act to remove pages EVEN Appendices and Maps etc., from ORBs. I have the relevant official reference to this, if you require it. If the ORB is not listed on the TNA catalogue and indexes and you know a Unit was in existence, then you should lodge an official written complaint with the TNA at Kew, after checking the ORB/s held first!

It was so serious, that an "Original" and a "Duplicate" ORB was made and one of the sets had to be forwarded to the Air Ministry once a month. Hence the feint fold lines in some ORB pages to fold it into a quarter size, to get it into the envelope.

The Unit/s had to keep their copies in a safe along with the Station HQ ORB, as I have references to a Station being bombed and reference to the recovery of their ORBs and other secret and confidential documents from the Station safe.

Regards Mark