OBSERVER CORPS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23314, 25 September 1945, Page 5

OBSERVER CORPS

Gratitude Of The R.A.F. General Griswold, the American Eighth Air Force chief, on his first flight in a Thunderbolt over England reported himself by radio telephone as “lost.” Within a few minutes the general was instructed how to reach safe landing. He told the story in a letter read by Air Commodore F. Crerar, Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps, at a rally held when the R.A.F. said "Thank you” to the corps for its help during the war. A massive silver cup was presented to the corps with the inscription "From the R.AF. to the R.O.C. in token of a worthy comradeship—l 939 to 1945.” The nation’s thanks were reflected in the handing over of the ensign, which the King lias approved for the corps, of Roval Air Force blue with the Union in one corner and the badge of the R.O.C. Eighteen hundred men and women who had served in the corps previous to its stand-down in May. and most of whom volunteered to be part of its peace-time nucleus, attended the rally. Air Marshal Sir H. N. Bottomley, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, in presenting the cup. told the observers. "Without your work we could never had had tlic success which we achieved in our air defence system. From 1942 (ill the end of the war in Europe more Hum 6000 aircraft in distress were helped Io safe landing through *he assistance given by the R.O.C. That in itself was a tremendous contribution in the saving of hundreds of gallant and valuable lives of our air crews.”