Royal Observer Corps: The Eyes and Ears of the RAF in WWII

The Royal Observer Corps played a vital role in the Second World War by providing over-land tracking of enemy aircraft, particularly during the Battle of Britain. They were also able to identify and count enemy aircraft, and their specialist identification skills were used to prevent friendly fire during the D-Day landings. Their contributions have often been overshadowed by more glamorous arms of the defence forces.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 01 August 2022
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

The Second World War saw the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) play a crucial role in the defense of the United Kingdom, often overshadowed by more glamorous branches of the military. The ROC's teams stationed at Sector Stations, meticulously plotting the battles raging overhead, and the Spitfires and Hurricanes swooping down upon enemy fighters and bombers, conjure up easily imagined and dramatic scenes. However, between the radar stations detecting German aircraft approaching over the Channel and the Sector Controls, the little sand-bagged posts of the Observer Corps provided overland tracking of enemy formations.

The Royal Observer Corps (ROC) was established in 1925 and became a vital link in the communication chain in the defense of the UK, particularly during the Battle of Britain. The ROC provided the only means of tracking enemy aircraft once they had crossed the coastline, using highly skilled Observers to identify and count the enemy aircraft. These Observers were able to transform blips on a screen into actual types and numbers of German machines.

Even after the threat from the Luftwaffe receded after the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, the ROC again came to the fore when the V1s opened a new reign of terror in 1944. These small, fast weapons were difficult to detect, and the RAF's fighter controllers moved into the ROC's operations rooms to respond to the V-1 threat more rapidly. In this official history of the ROC written shortly after the war, the corps' operations throughout the conflict are set out in great detail. This includes a section on the last flight of Rudolf Hess, as well as one detailing the work of those selected for employment as Seaborne Observers on ships during the D-Day landings. These Observers used their specialist identification skills to prevent the all-too-common mistake of mistaking friendly ships for enemy vessels.

The ROC's contributions to the war effort were significant, and their role in tracking enemy aircraft and preventing accidents during the D-Day landings was invaluable. However, their contributions have often been overlooked or overshadowed by the more glamorous aspects of the war. It is important to recognize and celebrate the work of the ROC and their contributions to the defense of the United Kingdom during the Second World War.

Weight: 398g
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 50 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399019798