Royal Observer Corp Medal

 

The Royal Observer Corps Medal was instituted in 1950 by King George VI to recognise long service by members of the Royal Observer Corps relating to service between 1941 and December 1995, when the Royal Observer Corps was stood down.

 

Prior to World War II, Royal Observer Corps personnel were classed as Special Constables, and retained by local constabularies and qualified for the award of the Special Constable Long Service Medal following a period of twelve years continuous service.

 

However, this qualification and award ceased in 1941, when RAF Fighter Command assumed sole responsibility for the Royal Observers Corps. Consequently in 1950, King George VI, as Air Commodore in Chief of the Royal Observer Corp, granted permission for the award of the Royal Observer Corps Medal in recognition of long service.

 

For part-time personnel, the medal was awarded to those having completed twelve years of continuous service. Full-time service on the part of Royal Observer Corps Officers counted for half the qualification period for part-time personnel; therefore requiring twenty four years service to qualify for a medal or clasp, but with any previous part-time service counting in full.

 

 

The medal is circular, 36mm in diameter and was struck in cupro-nickel. Although the medal was instituted in 1950, non were struck with the effigy of King George VI, therefore the obverse of this medal bears the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.

 

Post 1953, the observe also included the inscription; ‘+ ELIZABETH II DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REGINA F:D:’

 

However, later editions bore the inscription; ’+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA · F:D:’.

 

The reverse depicts the coast-watcher figure from the Royal Observer Corp badge, depicted against a backdrop of coastal warning beacons, with the inscription; ‘FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED’ on a scroll beneath the figure, together with the inscription; ‘ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS MEDAL’.

 

The ribbon suspender is an articulated brooch depicting the RAF eagle attached by a fastening that surmounts the medal.

 

The recipient's details can be found on the medal's rim impressed in capital letters.

 

 

 

The ribbon is 32mm wide and sky-blue in colour with a central silver stripe with narrow dark blue stripes at either side.

 

The light and dark blue colours representing the day and nightime sky’s while the silver represents a searchlight beam in a night sky.

 

 

Each subsequent service period of twelve years was recognised by the award of a clasp depicting a winged crown.

 

Recipients who are entitled to a clasp to the medal may wear a silver rosette on the service ribbon when the medal is not worn.

 

Further relevant historical context can be found at the foot of this entry.

 

 

 

* It should be noted that the values quoted above reflect the average price that a medal dealer may expect to sell this medal for - please see the ‘things you should know’ web page for more details about valuing medals.

 

 

This section contains information on the following:-

 

- The Royal Observer Corps.

 

The Royal Observer Corps - The Royal Observer Corps (ROC) was a civil defence organisation operating in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December 1995, when the Corps' civilian volunteers were stood down. (ROC headquarters staff at RAF Bentley Priory stood down on 31 March 1996).

 

Composed mainly of civilian spare-time volunteers, ROC personnel wore a Royal Air Force (RAF) style uniform and latterly came under the administrative control of RAF Strike Command and the operational control of the Home Office. Civilian volunteers were trained and administered by a small cadre of professional full-time officers under the command of the Commandant Royal Observer Corps; latterly a serving RAF Air Commodore.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.