While the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was responsible for radar research and the development of prototypes, other government agencies had responsibility for assisting in the development by approving and supporting the financial costs, procuring the appropriate technology and materials, manufacturing the machinery, or using the completed product. This fact sheet contains details of relevant records of some of these key agencies, including the War Cabinet, the Postmaster-General's Department, the Department of Munitions, and the armed services, which put the radar technology to use.
War Cabinet records
The matter of radar research and equipment was considered by the Australian War Cabinet (CA 1468) on a number of occasions during World War II. Records of the War Cabinet comprise the War Cabinet Agenda, War Cabinet Minutes and War Cabinet Notebooks. The major decisions of the War Cabinet in relation to radar are contained in the Agenda and Minutes listed below. A photocopied set of the Minutes is held in all research centres. The Agenda are held in Canberra.
| Subject | Minute no. (Series A2673) | Minute date | Agenda no. (Series A2671) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delays in local production of RDF equipment | 1750 | 24 Jan 1942 | No agendum |
| Finance for radio location work | 1653 | 31 Dec 1941 | 349/1941 |
| Position of radio location work |
1769 |
26 Jan 1942 17 Apr 1942 |
54/1942 |
| RDF equipment and personnel | 829 | 11 Mar 1942 | 150/1942 |
| RDF equipment for RAAF | 2296 | 7 Aug 1942 | 312/1942 |
| RDF policy and program | 2433 3303 |
14 Oct 1942 4 Mar 1944 |
421/1942 |
| Radiophysics Advisory Board – First report – for period ending 30 November 1942 | No minute recorded | 515/1942 | |
| Radar equipment for RAAF | 3168 | 24 Nov 1943 | 484/1943 |
| Radar equipment for RAN | 3332 | 22 Feb 1944 | 44/1944 |
Production of radar equipment
The production of radar equipment was initially only undertaken by the Postmaster-General's Department, but due to the increasing demand as the war progressed, private companies and other government agencies also became involved in producing radar equipment.
From 1942 the Department of Munitions assumed responsibility for the production of radar equipment in Australia. It was also responsible for the supervision of private contractors who made radar equipment and arranged for the import and export of materials and completed machines.
Records of these agencies containing information relating to the production of radar equipment are listed below. These records are all held by the National Archives in Melbourne.
Records containing information about radar production
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number |
|---|---|---|
| Correspondence files | 1939–50 | B2947 |
| W files, relating to matters arising from the War | 1938–50 | MP721/1 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number |
|---|---|---|
| Correspondence files | 1942–47 | MP45/5 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number |
|---|---|---|
| Correspondence files | 1941–48 | MP392/37 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number |
|---|---|---|
| Correspondence files | 1942–45 | MP392/5 |
| Correspondence files | 1942–45 | MP1680/8 |
Use of radar by the armed services
The use of radar equipment was the responsibility of the Army, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Records relating to the services' views, policies, research and use of radar technology are contained in the record series listed below. Unless otherwise indicated, these records are held by the National Archives in Canberra.
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number |
|---|---|---|
| Correspondence files | 1935–58 | A816 |
| Radio research | 1941 | A816, 48/301/28 |
| Radio location – Use to provide long-range warning of attack | 1941–42 | A816, 48/301/34 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number |
|---|---|---|
| Correspondence files (general) | 1923–50 | MP1049/5 |
| Radio direction finding performance report | 1942 | MP1049/5, 2037/7/108 |
| Radio direction finding report on policy | 1941–42 | MP1049/5, 2037/7/256 |
| Title or description of record | Date range | Series number |
|---|---|---|
| Correspondence files | 1935–60 | A1196 |
| Press censorship re radio location | 1943–48 | A1196, 10/501/41 |
| Press censorship re radio location | 1943–48 | A1196, 10/501/41 |
| CSIR 'War Report' | 1943–44 | A1196, 37/501/460 |