I am trying to trace the whereabouts of the wartime records of the Royal Observer Corps.

That band of volunteers manned their local spotter posts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They not only spotted, tracked, reported and recorded enemy aircraft over the UK, but kept track of Allied aircraft and helped many aircrew with damaged radio etc, lost and running out of fuel, find a safe landing.

Apparently, when the Corps was disbanded, most of the daily logbooks were taken home, and presumably were either destroyed or are still in private homes.

I would be interested in reading any such logs but, in particular, I should like to read the entry for October 21, 1944 of the Barkston Ash post (Code No Z2) or of any other posts in the vicinity of Sherburn-in-Elmet; it might help to solve the mystery surrounding a fatal flying accident there on that Saturday afternoon.

If anyone can help, would they please telephone me on York 704677.

Mr W J Edwards,

Malbys Grove,

Copmanthorpe, York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.