British Royal Observer Corps

Editor's Note

The following article was originally written by Bunker_Dave from Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker. It has been reproduced with permission in a slightly-edited form for this website.

A Brief Introduction to the Corps

Following the Zeppelin raids of the First World War, a need was recognised for an organisation to identify aircraft and provide an early warning of incoming attack (primarily, originally over London and the home counties). So, in 1925, the Observer Corps was born. This was an organisation made up of civilian volunteers who would monitor the skies over the South of England, identify incoming aircraft and report potential threats back to their headquarters. The Corps would gain the 'Royal' title in 1941 by Order of his Majesty King George VI, in recognition of their sterling service during the London Blitz, where their early warnings of incoming raids to the UK coast certainly gave the ARP and other similar organisations time to get people to shelter and undoubtedly saved many hundreds, if not thousands, of lives.

The Corps would see action during the D-Day operations with some 796 personnel selected to perform aircraft recognition as Seaborne Observers during the landings, being seconded briefly to the Royal Navy. 

In the early Cold War period, with aircraft technology and radar now vastly improved, it was recognised that the Corps would need to be reassigned to a new role - the aircraft recognition role now redundant - and this would take the form of the nuclear monitoring role. Under the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation (UKWMO), the Corps would reshape itself. Between 1958 and 1968, a countrywide building programme resulted in a network of 1,563 underground monitoring posts each approximately eight miles (13 km) apart from the rest, distributed throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, at an estimated cost of almost £5,000 each. The intention was that Corps members would monitor and track nuclear bursts from these posts and report back to their group headquarters with size of device, predicted fallout, air burst/ground burst, and so forth. The Corps would continue in this nuclear monitoring role until the eventual Stand Down of the Corps in 1995. 

Uniforms of the Corps

Pre-War and Early War Uniforms (1939-41)

In their early days, the Corps were issued no uniform per se, instead being issued with a black steel helmet of the MK II Variety with 'OC' stencilled on the front in a similar style to the ARP and other civilian organisation’s helmets of the period, and an armband of the type used by special constables. In order to portray this period, the reenactor should seek to avail themselves of civilian clothes of a period-appropriate design, and supplement that with the helmet and armband. Although originals of either are now extremely difficult to find for sale, replicas are produced. 'OC' stencils are available from WarHats.com, and the armbands are reproduced fairly commonly. 

The first real uniform issued to the Observer Corps pre-1941 were RAF mechanics' overalls in a dark blue, with breast badge (the so-called 'soup plate') featuring the RAF eagle and the title of Observer Corps. These were outfitted with white metal buttons featuring the Corps' crest of an Elizabethan-era coastal watchman with flaming torch: these were 24mm for the front buttons, and 17mm for the epaulettes and chest pockets. The RAF mechanics' overalls are again readily reproduced to varying degrees of accuracy and the metal buttons are available at low cost. The early breast badges are reproduced to a high standard by Old Time Design Company in the UK, fairly inexpensively. 

Due to a shortage of RAF midnight blue berets, the Corps were also issued with Royal Tank Regiment surplus black berets as an acceptable substitute. No cap badge was produced for the Corps at this time, but many observers took to privately purchasing and wearing a round metal lapel badge on their berets. This badge featured the Corps crest, title, and motto: 'Forewarned is Forearmed'.

For the purposes of reenactment, the original lapel badges come up for sale quite regularly and at reasonable prices. For berets of the wartime pattern in use with the corps, the reenactor should search for a  'Basque' or 'large crown' beret,  these being slightly larger in proportion when compared to modern berets (such as those produced by Firmin, Compton Webb, etc.). 

Mid- to Late War Uniforms (1942-45) 

Post-1941, the Corps would be issued for the first time with what can be considered a proper uniform. This was the 1942 Pattern Battledress, in a blue-grey wool serge with exposed white metal buttons (these being the same 24mm/17mm buttons with the Corps' crest used on the RAF overalls). This style of battledress was exclusive to the Corps and is not commonly reproduced. However, replica wartime Service Pattern RAF Battledress can be easily altered to close/remove the flap that covers the buttons, and to put buttonholes in the serge, along with replacing the black plastic buttons with white metal Corps' buttons. Also issued were an RAF service shirt (available in reasonable quality reproduction from Solider of Fortune in the UK) and black Air Ministry tie (again available from SoF). Further issued was an RAF storm coat (however, these coats are now extremely rare and as of 2025, no company is making reproductions, so the reenactor may wish to omit this item). Headgear was the Mk II steel helmet in black or RAF blue-grey, and black beret, now with a cap badge featuring the King's crown, coastal watcher and the Corps' motto on a scroll, all set on a wreath of leaves. 

The only other equipment issued was the MK IV General Service Respirator in Mk VI or, later, Mk VII haversack. Further information on respirators issued to and worn by the Corps can be found later in this guide. 

After the Corps was granted the title, 'Royal', in 1942, the breast badge would be altered to add this, also being topped with a King's Crown. These later breast badges are, as with their earlier counterparts, rare to find original examples of. However, at the time of writing, reproduction badges are available from the Old Time Design Company. 

The reenactor who wishes to portray an observer who volunteered for the D-Day landings need add only a 'Seaborne' shoulder flash and navy blue armband with the letters 'RN' (for Royal Navy) in red felt to the uniform, insignia and personal equipment described above. Once again, these rare shoulder titles are reproduced to a high standard by TOTDC. 

Wartime Women's Uniforms

Women were given permission to join the Corps in 1941, and to portray a female member of the Corps the 1942 Pattern Battledress blouse is to be worn with an RAF skirt (of blue-grey wool serge, and of the type worn by WAAFS) and grey stockings or tights, along with a blue shirt of the WAAF type and black Air Ministry tie. Finally, a black beret with the post-1942 cap badge, and plain black shoes.  

Post-War Uniforms (1951-72)

Post-war, with the Corps switching from Aircraft Recognition to Nuclear Monitoring under the Home Office and the UKWMO, the uniform would change with the adoption of the 1951 Pattern Battledress uniform. This was the so-called 'Hairy Mary,' due to its construction from rough wool serge. Unlike the previous 1942 Pattern Battledress, this wasn’t a design exclusively for issue to the Corps, and was the same pattern the battledress issued to RAF personnel of the period. It would be worn with a blue shirt of RAF pattern and a black tie, as well as black shoes. Officially, these were to be of RAF pattern, but, depending on group, black civilian shoes were sometimes permitted to be worn in their place. 

In the 1950s, the so-called 'soup plate' breast insignia was replaced with shoulder flashes in a blue-grey wool, with the 'Royal Observer Corps' title embroidered in white thread, along with a small square of grey serge with an embroidered number. This indicated which group the observer belonged to (for a complete list of group numbers please see below [this section has not yet been completed. - Ed.]). Also issued were a midnight blue beret of RAF pattern and ROC cap badge. The cap badge's design would change post-1953 to a Queen’s Crown atop the badge, after HM Queen Elizabeth took the throne and adopted her monogram. Similarly to the wartime uniform, uniform a female version of the Hairy Mary existed where the trousers were replaced with a skirt and grey stockings or tights and plain black shoes.

Later ROC Uniforms (1972-84)

In the 1970s, the ROC uniform underwent its final major change that would see the Corps through all the way to Stand Down in 1996. The 1972 Pattern uniform, known affectionately (or not) by Observers as the 'Mothercare Suit' (after a shop that sold clothing for babies and small children in the UK at the time) or 'Thunderbird Suit' after the television program, consisted of a close-cropped jacket with a single internal pocket and two external zipped pockets running diagonally along the chest, worn with RAF No. 2 Dress trousers, an RAF shirt and tie, and the round-neck blue-grey RAF pattern woollen pullover (the famous 'woolly pully'). Midnight blue berets with QC Cap badge and black dress shoes continued to be worn. The 1972 Pattern uniform was fairly universally hated, as it was unflattering and uncomfortable, as well as poorly insulating in the cold and damp of the underground monitoring posts. For reenactment purposes the 1972 Pattern uniform is common: a complete impression (including insignia) can be picked up for around £60-£80. 

The insignia of the Corps would also change from 1972 to a dark blue shoulder title, with the Corps title and group number embroidered in white. 

A women’s version of the 1972 Pattern uniform was issued to female Observers, differing from the male version in the cut of the jacket - having hip pockets rather than the chest pockets. It was worn with an RAF skirt, women's shirt and tie, and neutral tights, midnight blue beret, and black 'cadet' parade shoes.

Final Uniform Revisions (Post-1984)

From 1985, a number of other items became available to Observers on special issue. These included the so-called 'post overalls' - an RAF Coverall with a blue square badge, featuring an embroidered version of the ROC cap badge, sewn onto the chest pocket - for use inside ROC posts as both an extra insulating layer and to protect the Observer's uniform from dirt and so forth. A stable belt, made of webbing with two leather fasteners in the ROC colours (a single white stripe on a blue background similar to the ROC medal ribbon) was introduced. Female Observers could also wear the WRAF 'pillbox' hat with ROC cap badge and men could wear the RAF forage cap. From a reenactment point of view the post overalls and breast badges are extremely common, however, the stable belts are nigh-on impossible to find.

Protective Equipment

Early Protective Clothing

In the early days of the post-war Corps, a PVC jerkin (based on the Army's Jerkin, Leather, No.2 of WW2 vintage but produced from polyvinyl material and lined with a dark blue blanket-like woollen material) and a wool duffle coat were issued, both designed to protect against the cold in the underground monitoring posts. All of these items are still fairly readily available, however, the duffle coats can be pricey in wearable condition. For reenacting purposes, the jerkin and duffle can only be worn if portraying the Corps in years up to and including 1953. 

Protective Clothing (Post-1953)

Post-1953, some alterations would be made to the protective clothing issued to Observers in monitoring posts. The jerkin and duffle coat ceased to be issued, and in their stead a two-piece suit of similar design to the 1960 Pattern 'combat suit' was introduced. This was known as the Suit, Protective, ROC. These Air Ministry (under whose remit the ROC fell) models were made to the original 1951 specification for the 'Combat Suit', principally manufactured and lined throughout in olive drab gabardine whereas the Army (War Department) version was altered in production during mid-1952 to 100% cotton drill. The only other major difference between this and the 1960 Pattern 'Combat Suit' was a permanently attached hood on the ROC version. These were considered better and more lightweight than the bulky clothing issued previously. Unfortunately for the average reenactor, these are now extremely rare garments and can sell for in excess of £300 in even poor condition. However, if the reenactor can find one, they make for an extremely rare item that would finish off any 1950s-70s impression extremely well. 

Personal Protective Equipment

During WW2, the ROC were issued with the standard-issue General Service Respirator, as was issued to the Army, Navy, RAF, and some Civil Defence units. The Army would later transition to the Light Anti-Gas Respirator, but ROC and Civil Defence forces, who would be required to potentially spend more time outside during a gas attack, kept the GSR in service throughout the conflict. 

Post-war, with the recognition of the horror of nuclear weapons, the Corps would be issued with No.1 Mk.II NBC suits and S6 respirators. These were of military issue, however it is unclear when they began to be issued or on what scale. They also seem - from the handful of photographs that exist - to be incomplete kits, with observers wearing civilian wellington boots and no gloves whilst in NBC kit inside their posts. From a reenactment point of view both the Mk II suit and S6 are easy to find (although both are becoming more expensive) and can be supplemented with suitable civilian wellingtons.

Nuclear Monitoring Equipment

[Section to be completed]

- Dave