Seeing the article about the Cold War bunker (The Press, November 8) awoke memories of my time in the ROC (Royal Observer Corps).

I have always been keenly interested in aviation and developed quite a skill in being able to identify aircraft, mainly military.

Back in 1952, when I was sixteen, I joined the ROC and was attached to the Crew who manned ‘Charlie One’ Tracking Post on Strensall Common.

I was trained in the use of the Post Instrument. Quite a rudimentary affair but, in the hands of a skilled operator, remarkably accurate at identifying the height and bearing of a ‘target’.

Annually there would be an examination to see how good our operating-procedures and aircraft-recognition skills were.

The aircraft-recognition testing was via a device called a ‘Flash Spotter’.

This projected a very brief aircraft-silhouette onto the screen. However that silhouette could be anywhere on the screen and you had to be very good to spot and identify it in that brief, brief, exposure!

On the one occasion I attempted the Test I failed, to my utter mortification, on the aircraft-recognition.

Our “HQ” was in The Ship at Strensall with occasional visits to the Blacksmiths Arms at Farlington to swap story’s with ROC members from that area.

Then came the threat of nuclear war and the ROC was updated with the Posts going underground and the York Cold War Bunker being built.

However by this time I had “discovered” motorbikes and had left the ROC.

Ah! Nostalgia! A wonderful thing!

Philip Roe,

Roman Avenue South,

Stamford Bridge,