 In August 1939, just weeks before the outbreak of World War II, the Australian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research approved the creation of the Radiophysics Laboratory (RPL) within the University of Sydney.Scientists at RPL, led by Dr David Martyn and Dr John Piddington, were concerned that sooner or later AW radar would be needed in Australia to warn of aerial attack and that existing air defence policy was too complacent.During the first months of the war the Australian defence forces were without anyone specially trained in the tactical operation of radar and in March 1940 each service selected an officer to be sent to Britain for this purpose.