- Type of Memorial
- Avenue / Tree or grove
- WMR Reference Number
- 51090
- Description
- A grove with two lines of saplings bordering a grassed area with a polished grey granite stone of remembrance with engraved commemoration in gold lettering below regimental insignia and flanked by engraved regimental medals. A brick plinth with an information plaque is at the other end of the grove in front of a bench. A second smaller grey granite stone of remembrance with engraved commemoration in gold lettering below regimental insignia is situated within the grove. The stone sits on a grey granite stone base and at its foot is a sculpture in white stone of a regimental cap and binoculars.
- Inscription
- [Insignia motto:] FORWARNED IS FOREARMED
[Ribbons]: ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS/ SEABORNE
ROYAL/ OBSERVER/CORPS/ 1925-1995/ FOR THOSE WHO SERVED/
MEMORABLE DATES FOR ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS/
1925 - THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS IS FORMED/
1939 - THE CORPS IS MOBILISED AT THE START OF THE WAR
1940 - BATTLE OF BRITAIN/
1941 - (APRIL) - GRANTING OF THE TITLE ROYAL BY HM KING GEORGE VI/ IN RECOGNITION OF SERVICE DURING THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN/
1941 - (JUNE) - WOMEN ADMITTED TO THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS/
1944 - THE SEABORNE VENTURE - 796 MALE OFFICERS AND OBSERVERS VOLUNTEER/ TO GO TO SEA TO IDENTIFY AIRCRAFT DURING 'OPERATION OVERLORD'
1950 - HM KING GEORGE VI BECOMES 1ST AIR COMMODORE IN CHIEF/ - INTRODUCTION OF ROC MEDAL FOR LONG SERVICE/
1953 - HM QUEEN ELIZABETH BECOMES 2ND AIR COMMODORE IN CHIEF
1955 - INTRODUCTION OF COLD WAR ROLE
1975 - GOLDEN JUBILEE OF THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS
1991 - REVIEW OF CORPS BY HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II
1995 - FINAL STAND DOWN OF THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS
Plinth: (Insignia) SHORT HISTORY OF THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS/ THE OBSERVER CORPS WAS FORMED IN 1925 BY MAJOR E. B. ASHMORE CB, CMG, MVO, TO PLOT AND REPORT THE/ MOVEMENT OF ENEMY AIRCRAFT FLYING OVER GREAT BRITAIN. IN JANUARY 1929 THE AIR MINISTRY ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE/ CORPS, AND AN AIR COMMODORE WAS APPOINTED COMMANDANT: THE MOTTO FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED WAS ADOPTED./ AS PART OF FIGHTER COMMAND, THE OBSERVER CORPS WAS MOBILISED ON 24TH AUGUST 1939 AND, DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, ACQUITTED ITSELF WITH HONOUR AND DISTINCTION. IN RECOGNITION OF THE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION MADE BY THE/ OBSERVER CORPS DURING THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN, HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE VI GRANTED THE CORPS THE TITLE 'ROYAL' IN/ APRIL 1941. DURING THE D-DAY LANDINGS IN 1944, THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS PROVIDED VOLUNTEERS FOR DUTY ON BOARD/ SHIPS TO IDENTIFY AIRCRAFT TYPES AND SO AVOID THE DESTRUCTION OF FRIENDLY FORCES. THESE WERE KNOWN AS SEABORNE/ OBSERVERS. THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS WAS STOOD DOWN IN MAY 1945, BUT IN RESPONSE TO THE COLD WAR IT WAS/ REFORMED IN JANUARY 1947. IN APRIL 1950 HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE VI BECAME THE CORPS' FIRST AIR/ COMMODORE-IN-CHIEF AND THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS MEDAL WAS INSTITUTED. HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II/ ASSUMED THE APPOINTMENT OF AIR COMMODORE-IN-CHIEF IN APRIL 1953. TWO YEARS LATER IN 1955, THE ROLE OF THE CORPS/ CHANGED TO NUCLEAR REPORTING. AT A ROYAL REVIEW IN JUNE 1966, HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II PRESENTED THE/ CORPS WITH A ROYAL BANNER, TO COMMEMORATE THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GRANTING OF THE TITLE 'ROYAL'. IN 1968/ REORGANISATION OCCURRED WHICH GREATLY REDUCED THE STRENGTH OF THE CORPS. IN 1975 THE CORPS CELEBRATED ITS GOLDEN/ JUBILEE AND IN 1985, A ROYAL GARDEN PARTY WAS HELD AT RAF BENTLEY PRIORY TO CELEBRATE THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE/ CORPS. ON 25TH JULY 1991, HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF/ EDINBURGH, PRESENTED THE CORPS WITH ITS NEW ROYAL BANNER AT A REVIEW AT RAF BENTLEY PRIOR. A REDUCTION IN THE/ 'THREAT' TO THE UNITED KINGDOM RESULTED IN THE STAND-DOWN OF THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS ON THE 30TH SEPTEMBER/ 1991. THE REMAINING NUCLEAR REPORTING CELLS CONTINUED UNTIL FINAL STAND-DOWN ON 31ST MARCH 1995. THE ROYAL/ BANNER WAS LAID UP FOR SAFE KEEPING IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE COLLEGE CRANWELL ON 8TH DECEMBER 1995./ THIS GROVE OF 25 TREES WAS PLANTED BY MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS ASSOCIATION/ IN MEMORY FO THOSE WHO SERVED IN THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS FROM 1925 TO FINAL/ STAND-DOWN 1995. AT RAF BENTLEY PRIORY. A REDUCTION IN THE/ 'THREAT' TO THE UNITED KINGDOM RESULTED IN THE STAND-DOWN OF THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS ON 30TH SEPTEMBER/ 1991. THE REMAINING NUCLEAR REPORTING CELLS CONTINUED UNTIL FINAL STAND-DOWN ON 31ST MARCH 1995. THE ROYAL/ BANNER WAS LAID UP FOR SAFE KEEPING IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE COLLEGE CRANWELL ON 8TH DECEMBER 1995./ THIS GROVE OF TREES WAS PLANTED BY MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS ASSOCIATION,/ IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO SERVED IN THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS FROM 1925 TO FINAL/ STAND-DOWN 1995.
2nd stone of remembrance: SEABORNE/ WING/ Operation 'OVERLORD'
Back of 2nd stone: FORMATION OF/ ROC SEABORNE WING/ 1944/ IN THE BEGINNING/ In March of 1944 the Air Officer Commanding/ issued a request for 2000 experienced Volunteers/ from the Royal Observer Corps to act as Aircraft/ Spotters on Defensively Equipped Merchant/ Ships (DEMS)/ Over 1300 Indiviuals, aged between 17 and 70, offered their services./ SELECTION AND TRAINING/ This took place in Bournemouth/ and 796 personnel were selected for service during/ Operation 'OVERLORD'./ OPERATIONS/ By eraly June some 750 personnel were on duty/ at sea, posted to merchant vessels in pairs, to/ provide gun crews with accurate aircraft/ identification information to limit casualties/ from friendly fire./ RECOGNITION/ In recognition, all members/ should continue to wear the SEABORNE Flash/ for the duration of their service and were/ Honourably discharged from the Royal Navy.