Preparation At the end of September 1938 the political crisis which culminated in the
Munich Agreement had led to the Observer Corps being mobilised for a week. This highlighted organisational and technical shortcomings, and provided the impetus for the development of solutions to resolve these. A series of exercises held throughout 1939 provided opportunities for the fine tuning of improvements made to command and control functions. At this time the only uniform items issued to Observer Corps personnel were steel helmets bearing the stencilled letters 'O C', together with blue/white (vertically striped)
armbands bearing the same. Both items of equipment were similar in style to those issued to members of the civil defence emergency services, including the
Auxiliary Fire Service ('AFS') and
Air Raid Precautions ('ARP'). The initial batch of helmets issued to Observer Corps members were the same as those issued to Police forces; black in colour with the word 'POLICE' stencilled in white. (This led some Observer Corps members to simply scratch off the stencilled letters P, L, I, and E, to leave letters O and C remaining as one can see in the photograph below). . High quality
Royal Navy-issue binoculars were issued to observers, whose observation posts often consisted of a wooden garden shed located next to a telegraph pole, this arrangement enabling a telecommunications link to be established with a control centre, often via a manual switchboard at local telephone exchange. These 'garden shed' style observation posts were eventually replaced by more substantial brick structures, protected by sandbags, which due to their often having been constructed by Observer Corps personnel themselves resulting in no two observation posts being identical. Observation posts were located in open playing fields, hilltops or cliff edges and, particularly in urban areas, on the rooftops of public buildings and factories. Purpose-built observation posts introduced later were usually two-storey structures, constructed of brick or concrete, with an open-topped observation platform situated above a small crew rest area.
Early days of the war On 24 August 1939 Chief Constables issued
Mobilisation Notices to all members of the Observer Corps, with
war being declared just ten days afterwards. From 3 September 1939, observation posts and control centres would be manned continuously until 12 May 1945, four days after
VE Day. The first months of the
Second World War were known as the
Phoney War, with little significant enemy aircraft activity over Great Britain. The
Battle of Dunkirk commenced at the end of May 1940, with
Allied troops cut off in retreat by the
German Army in north-east France, resulting in the evacuation of British troops in
Operation Dynamo. During this time the RAF lost a total of 944 aircraft, with half of these being
fighter aircraft. Observer Corps posts in Kent and around the
Thames estuary were able to play some part in plotting aircraft while they were over south east England. This was a useful period of exposure to war-time operations for Observer Corps personnel, and one which would provide invaluable experience. Despite it being crucial that armed service personnel could correctly identify the various types of allied and German aircraft operating in the skies above and around Great Britain, in 1939
aircraft recognition was not yet the highly developed skill it was to become in the Observer Corps. Other armed services regarded accurate aircraft identification as being almost impossible; observers, however, realised that skills in this area were deficient, and the profile of aircraft recognition was raised within the ranks of the Observer Corps. Aircraft recognition training material, consisting of aircraft silhouettes and other data, was introduced almost entirely under the auspices of the unofficial
Observer Corps Club. Only much later did this skill obtain official recognition, with the result that it eventually spread throughout the armed forces.
Battle of Britain "
Observer Corps" at
RAF Hornchurch, 1940.
Swastika kill markings denote two of
Sqn Ldr Donald Finlay's four confirmed (individual) enemy destroyed were achieved in this aircraft. After the
Fall of France, the goal of Germany was to achieve
air superiority over Great Britain by destroying RAF fighters, both in the air and on the ground, and by bombing aircraft manufacturing facilities. Winning the Battle of Britain, as it became known, was Germany's prerequisite in preparation for the invasion of Britain;
Operation Sea Lion. The British Chain Home radar defence system was able to warn of enemy aircraft approaching the British coast, but once having crossed the coastline the Observer Corps provided the only means of tracking their position. During the period from July to October 1940, the Observer Corps was at full stretch operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, plotting enemy aircraft and passing this essential information to RAF Fighter Command Groups and Sector Controls. (ROC personnel were deployed in two specific roles: Those in Class A were required to undertake 56 hours duty per week, while Class B personnel undertook up to 24 hours duty per week). The Battle of Britain also saw the introduction of the
Blitz campaign and the shift of German bombing from airfields to cities. Again, the Observer Corps provided vital information which enabled timely air-raid warnings to be issued, thereby saving countless lives. As a result of their role during the Battle of Britain, in April 1941 the Observer Corps was granted the title
Royal by King George VI, and the
Royal Observer Corps (
ROC) became a uniformed civil defence organisation administered by
RAF Fighter Command. Also during that same year, in a change from the policy of the Observer Corps, the ROC undertook to recruit women personnel for the first time. Initially, the only uniforms provided were RAF overalls, (
boiler suits), with an ROC breast badge, commonly referred to as the "soup plate" because of its shape and size. Standard issue RAF No.2 Battledress uniforms were issued in a rolling programme over the next two years. The Blitz itself continued until early in the summer of 1941 and bombing continued, albeit on a reduced scale, until March 1945. The Observer Corps formed the cornerstone of
Air Marshal Hugh Dowding's air defence system, who stated in a despatch following the Battle of Britain that: It is important to note that at this time they (the Observer Corps) constituted the whole means of tracking enemy raids once they had crossed the coastline. Their work throughout was quite invaluable. Without it the air-raid warning systems could not have been operated and inland interceptions would rarely have been made. For the remainder of the war, the ROC provided an essential part of Great Britain's air defences.
Seaborne Observers and
US Navy vessels for the
D-Day landings. DEMS
Empire Broadsword, (above), was
mined and sunk off
Normandy; Aircraft Identifier W. J. Salter listed as
Missing Presumed Killed. In 1944, during preparations for the invasion of France, (
Operation Overlord), a request for volunteers from within the ranks of the ROC produced 1,094 highly qualified candidates, from which 796 were selected to perform aircraft recognition duties as Seaborne Observers. These Seaborne Observers, under the command of Group Commandant C.G. Cooke, undertook specialist training at the Royal Bath Hotel,
Bournemouth, prior to being temporarily seconded to the
Royal Navy with the rank of
Petty Officer (Aircraft Identifier). The Seaborne Observers continued to wear their ROC uniform, but in addition wore a "SEABORNE"
shoulder flash and Royal Navy
brassard bearing the letters "RN". During the
D-day landings, two Seaborne Observers were allocated to all participating
United States Navy vessels and
Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships. The Seaborne Observers assumed control of each ship's anti aircraft batteries with the intention of reducing the previously high incidence of
friendly fire (
collateral damage) between allied vessels and allied aircraft. The success of the Seaborne Observers in undertaking this role can be measured by a signal sent from Wing Commander P.B. Lucas, Air Staff Officer, who stated that: The general impression amongst the Spitfire wings, covering our land and naval forces over and off the beach-head, appears to be that in the majority of cases the fire has come from British Navy warships and not from the merchant ships. Indeed, I personally have yet to hear a single pilot report that a merchant vessel had opened fire on him During Operation Overlord a total of two Seaborne Observers lost their lives, several more were injured and twenty two survived their ships being sunk. In addition, ten Seaborne Observers were
mentioned in despatches.
Flying bombs Intelligence reports detailing the threat posed by Germany's flying bombs resulted in the instigation of
Operation Totter, whereby ROC posts would fire 'Snowflake' illuminating rocket flares in order to alert RAF fighters to the presence of
V-1 flying bombs. Observers at the coastal post of
Dymchurch, Kent, identified the very first of these weapons and within seconds of their report the defences were in action. This new weapon gave the ROC much additional work, both at posts and control centres. RAF fighter controllers temporarily moved their radio equipment into the operations rooms of ROC control centres at
Horsham and
Maidstone in order to direct fighters to intercept V-1 flying bombs using information displayed on ROC plotting tables. Critics who had earlier claimed that the ROC would be unable to assist the new fast-flying
Gloster Meteor jet aircraft were answered when these aircraft, on their first operational combat
sorties to intercept V-1 flying bombs, were controlled entirely using ROC derived information. The optimism shown by the then Commandant ROC,
Air Cdre Crerar, that the ROC would cope with this new and advanced technology was vindicated. The first V-1 identified and logged was by ROC personnel E Woodward and A Wraight, on 13 June 1944, at Dymchurch, Kent. (The first sighting over London itself was credited to S Fenton of the ROC). Attacks by V1 flying bombs continued until 29 March, 1945, with the last being recorded at
Woolmer Green,
Hertfordshire.
Organisation and modus operandi plotter, with Mickelthwait height adjuster attachment, used to plot aircraft. In order to monitor aircraft,
Post observers used a simple but effective mechanical tracking device. Where the approximate height of an aircraft is known it becomes possible, by using a horizontal bearing and a vertical angle taken from a known point, to calculate the approximate position of that aircraft. Posts were equipped with a mechanical sighting
Post Instrument plotter consisting of a sighting system over a map grid. After setting the instrument with the aircraft's approximate height, the observer would align a sighting bar with the aircraft. This bar was mechanically connected to a vertical pointer which would indicate the approximate position of the aircraft on the map grid.
Post observers would report the map coordinates, height, time,
sector clock colour code and number of aircraft for each sighting to the aircraft
Plotters located at their ROC
Group control
Centre. The headquarters of each ROC
Group operated from a control
Centre, responsible for and controlled between 30 and 40 observation
Posts, each of which would be some 10 km to 20 km from its neighbour. By 1945 there were 39 centres covering Great Britain, controlling in total more than 1,500 posts. (The ROC did not operate in
Northern Ireland until 1954). Positioned around a large table map, plotters would wear headsets to enable a constant communications link to be maintained with their allocated
Cluster of posts, usually three in number. The plotting table consisted of a large map with grid squares and posts being marked. Counters were placed on the map at the reported aircraft's position, each counter indicating the height and number of aircraft, and a colour-coded system was used to indicated the time of observation in 5-minute segments determined by reference to a sector clock. The table was surrounded by plotters, responsible for communicating with their allocated cluster of posts. Over time the track of aircraft could be traced, with the sector clock system of colour-coding enabling the extrapolation of tracks and the removal of time expired (historical) data. From 1942,
long-range boards were introduced into centre operations rooms, with
Tellers communicating with neighbouring ROC groups in order to handover details of inbound and outbound aircraft tracks as they were plotted on this map. Specific duties in the centre operations room included those undertaken by: •
Plotters – responsible for updating both the plotting table and the long range board. •
Tellers – responsible for communicating with neighbouring ROC groups, Fighter Command Group and Sector controls, anti-aircraft batteries and searchlight units. •
Alarm Controllers – responsible for liaising with the Police, the National Alert System, the
Ministry of Home Security and with local industrial facilities. •
Interrogator – responsible for liaising with
Ground-controlled interception (GCI) radar unit operational control centres. •
Duty Controller – together with an
Assistant Duty Controller and
Post Controller, responsible for supervising both the centre plotters and group observation posts.
A royal visit Perhaps the most unusual ROC post location was No.17 Group (Watford) Easy-4 Windsor Post, nestling between the battlements and chimneys on the top of
Windsor Castle's Brunswick Tower. Reporting for duty through the castle gates, many newly appointed ROC Group officers were caught unawares when the castle guardsmen in their sentry boxes snapped smartly to attention and presented arms. Observers frequently encountered King George VI,
Queen Elizabeth and
Princess Elizabeth and
Princess Margaret in the castle grounds, where they would often make a point of stopping to enquire as to ROC activities. ; Brunswick being the tallest tower at the extreme left On one occasion the observers on duty received a one-minute advance warning from a royal footman that they were about to receive a royal visit. A few minutes later, the king and queen, together with the teenage Princess Elizabeth, climbed up the steep ladder and joined the observers on the darkened roof-top while a major V-1 flying bomb attack was taking place over London. The royal visitors stayed for over an hour, asking technical questions and looking through binoculars at the unfolding aerial battle. Prior to departing, the royal party autographed the post duty log. The following evening, the royal party again appeared and on this occasion stayed for a longer period, although there was little aerial activity due to poor weather. In the early 1960s, when the nuclear reporting role building programme was in full swing, the ROC post at Windsor relocated to the cellar beneath the Brunswick Tower and a partial monitoring room was excavated under the garden in front of the tower's base. The BPI (
Bomb Power Indicator) and FSM (
Fixed Survey Meter) instrument fittings on the lawn were visible to the many tourists visiting the castle, although few would have realised their significance. The GZI (
Ground Zero Indicator) was mounted on top of the tower's battlements involving a climb of several hundred circular stone steps and in each direction. The observers at the Windsor post were unique in the country in not having to provide their own food during exercises. Instead, they received hot meals, brought by royal footman, from the castle kitchens. Twelve months after the ROC post was closed, the Brunswick Tower was the starting point and seat of the
1992 Windsor Castle fire and was substantially damaged.
Ghosts in ROC uniforms The ROC provided an additional and highly useful function to the war-time UK Government by providing a plausible cover story for a number of covert war-time operations. Up to twenty highly secret
electronic warfare units and
Y-stations were established across the UK, with their
MI8 associated scientists, technicians and engineers being dressed in Royal Observer Corps uniforms so as to avoid arousing suspicion while entering and leaving Royal Air Force, Army, Royal Navy and other MoD establishments. Throughout the Second World War, ROC personnel were paid expenses and allowances in cash via their Group HQ and several Deputy Group Commandants discovered that they had up to one hundred additional observers appearing on their staff roll, with each additional observer being seen to receiving higher than normal allowances, despite these individuals having never reported for duty as members of the Royal Observer Corps. A notable example of one such cover story involving the ROC is that which took place at
RAF Little Rissington, where a series of tunnels were excavated during the 1940s. RAF Little Rissington forces personnel and local residents were informed that this activity was associated with an ROC unit, which was indeed seen to be manned by individuals wearing ROC uniforms. The ROC however had no knowledge of the existence of this supposed ROC facility until many years after the war had drawn to a close. The true nature of the activities of these
Ghost ROC personnel remains
classified information, with public access to related documents being denied until 2045.
Briefly stood down On 12 May 1945, when it was confirmed that the
Luftwaffe had ceased combat operations, the ROC stood down. In recognition of the contribution made by ROC personnel in the Allied victory, the Air Ministry held a massed RAF rally and air display at
RAF North Weald, in Essex, from Saturday 23 to Monday 25 June 1945. Over 2,000 ROC personnel were invited to attend, with at least two observers from each ROC facility representing their respective post or centre. As part of the event, the new
ensign of the ROC (a
Royal Air Force Ensign,
defaced with the ROC badge in the
fly in place of the
RAF roundel – a design approved by King George VI), was dedicated at a special service. On the day of the dedication of the ensign, (Sunday 24th), the approximately 2,000 observers present undertook the first ever uniformed ROC march-past to the accompaniment of the
RAF Band, with the Under-Secretary of State for Air,
Lord Beatty, taking the salute. The parade then formed into a huge square and the ROC Ensign was presented by Lord Beatty. The Ensign was borne from the drumhead by
Observer Lieutenant Pollock,
VC. During the parade, Observer Lieutenant Pollock carried the Ensign, flanked by two senior NCOs, at the head of the massed contingent of observers. A film record of these events is held in the archives at the
Imperial War Museum. However, in a matter of only a few months, the ROC would again be called upon to meet the challenges posed by a new threat: the Cold War. File:Ensign of the Royal Observer Corps (1945-1952).png|1945 ROC Ensign. (
Tudor Crown shown. Post-1952 showed
St Edward's Crown). File:Royal Observer Corps Certificate.jpg|ROC Certificate of War Service. File:ROC No19 14May1945.jpg|ROC Record of Service. File:Royal Observer Corps No11 1945.jpg|Message from
AOC,
No. 11 Group RAF. File:ROC No19 Group dinner 26June1945.jpg|Card from No. 19 (
Bromley) Group "Dinner and Presentation", 1945. == Cold War ==