Walkern Royal Observer Corp
Where was the Walkern Royal Observer Corp Post located?
[from the April 2006 issue of the Walkern Journal]
Walkern Royal Observer Corp
1. The Observer Post was in Froghall Lane first, it then went to Bassus Green, on the left hand side of the first turn to Walkern Bury Farm, this was during the second World War. My husband Philip Waldock has the published Book, An Observers Tale, the story of Group 17 of the Royal Observer Corps. That belonged to his father Robin Waldock who was a member of the Walkern Royal Observer Corps. We also have a Certificate presented to Robin Waldock for Observer Corps.Service, they used to plot and observe incoming planes. I have deposited a copy of this Book with Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies Library.If any one would be interested in it. Eleanor Waldock
2. On the question about the location of the Royal Observer Posts, the main one was at the junction between the entrance to Walkern Bury farm and the road to Bassus Green. The other one was positioned on the other side of the valley at the top of Froghall Lane. A Mr Lake from Shephall was in charge of the Froghall Lane site; local observers were Jack Swain, Bernard Kitchener, Tom Boorman, Jack Dearman, and George Osborne among others. They met for instruction, orders etc. in the billiard room of the Red Lion pub. Also there was a searchlight company based in billets in Winters Lane, with the searchlight situated in what is now the horses’ field next to the river and beside the allotments. Joyce Lamb.
3. In answer to the query on the site of the Walkern Royal Observer Corp post. I found in my book Attach Warning Red the location of two sites. The first above ground post was opened in 1931 at TL282263 near the top end of Froghall Lane, and later in August 1949 was resited at TL303261 at the top of the lane to Bassus Green. In November 1953 it was made into an underground post until it was closed down in October 1968.
I was a member of the ROC for more than 25 years and based at the underground post at Brent Pelham. Barry Jackman
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Sir, I am doing some research for my Mother-in-law, Doreen Glayds Booher (Cooper) who was part of the ROC from 1944 to May 1945 when the ROC was stood down. She lived in Watford and was one of the plotters at a center near Watford. She thinks she was at a site in Hemel Hempstead, which from what I have found was part of the 17 Group, but she is sketchy on the details. She has her original stand down letter, which lists her name as D. G. Cooper, and still has her ROC breast patch. She was on duty at 0800 on D-Day and remembers the plotting board being filled with markers.
Do you have any information as to the site she may have worked in as a plotter and the actual breakdown of the 17 Group? Doreen married an Eighth Air Force officer and moved permanently to the states shortly after the war. She is writing an article on the ROC for the 8th A F magazine.
Any info would be a great help.
John Lutz
LCDR USN (Ret)
Dear John,
I have a copy of the book of the ‘Observers Tale, the story of Group 17 of the Royal Observer Corps’.
I have checked all of the names listed at the posts and D.Cooper is not listed at any posts and there wasn’t a post at Hemel Hempstead according to the book and Wikipedia. Can you mother-in-law remember any colleagues and I could try and find them and home in on where she was posted and hopefully provide some information.
I had two relatives in the Walkern corps – George Osbourne and Charlie Clements.
Regards
Tom