Royal Observer Corps Medal

The Royal Observer Corps Medal was a long service medal awarded in the United Kingdom to members of the Royal Observer Corps relating to service between 1941 and December 1995 when the Corps was stood down. The medal was initiated in 1950 by His Majesty King George Vl.

ervice prior to 1941

Prior to the Second World War Observer Corps personnel were employed by police forces and qualified for the award of the Special Constable Long Service Medal for twelve years continuous service. That qualification ceased in 1941 when RAF Fighter Command took control of the ROC.

The new medal

In 1950 the King, as Air Commodore in Chief of the ROC, granted permission for the award of the Royal Observer Corps Medal for twelve years continuous service in the corps. Each subsequent service of twelve years was recognised by the award of a Crown and eagle wings clasp sewn to the medal ribbon. Wholetime officer service counted for half qualification, therefore requiring twenty four years service to qualify for a medal or clasp, but with any previous sparetime service counting in full.

The only occasion that the ROC medal was awarded to an ex-member of the ROC was when UKWMO Sector Controller Ken Rodley was awarded the ROC medal after twenty four years wholetime service. Rodley had started his career as an ROC officer and later seconded to the Home Office. It had been realised that, due to an administrative error, Rodley's long standing secondment had never been officially converted to a full civil service transfer and he was technically still a member of the ROC.

Description

The medal was cast in a silver coloured cupronickel metal with the Monarch's head and, since 1953, the legend ELIZABETH II DEI: GRA: BRIT.OMN REGINA F:D: later editions bore the words ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA F:D: on the obverse and the ROC crest, motto and the words "Royal Observer Corps Medal" on the reverse. The recipient's rank, initials and surname was stamped into the rim. The medal ribbon was a mix of pale blue, dark blue and silver vertical stripes, representing the pale blue of the daytime sky with a seachlight in a night sky at its centre.

The medal is suspended under an articulated brooch consisting of the RAF eagle.

Miniatures

Miniature ROC medals were eventually licenced and manufactured and may be worn at formal "Black Tie" events where the invitation indicates that medals are allowed.

Disestablishment

The Royal Observer Corps was stood down in December 1995 and there are currently no ROC personnel in service. However, although no medals are currently being awarded, should the ROC ever be reactivated in the future the ROC medal remains extant and awards could recommence at that time.

Several ROC medals have sold recently on internet auction sites like Ebay for up to £300 and even more, if associated with other Second World War medals awarded to the same individual. The extremely rare ROC medals bearing the head of King George VI, issued for only one and half years, would be worth several thousand pounds if they ever come up for auction.

References