Photos, videos and docs of StoneRoad2013, with the keywords: "ROC"

ROC[nk] - family shelter

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Thu, 22 May 2025 08:31:43 +0000

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I suspect that this is actually an american utility design, not a British one, probably from the 1950/60s.
The British had had a lot of experience in designing air raid shelters during / after WW2, such as you don't put resources under floors and you need padded seating / beds.
Although this does have several redeeming features, I can see a number of actual & potential drawbacks, such as no second exit ...
Compare with the design of the ROC monitoring posts ... which had some similar drawbacks.
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not my image : fair use & public education

ROC[26] - Gilsland post

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Sun, 15 Feb 2026 12:16:42 +0000

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The sad remains of Gilsland Post. Opened 1961 & closed at the 1991 "Stand Down".
It was intitally G.2 in 22 Group [Carlisle] and 36 post at the end.

Hatch is open & I believe this is badly flooded, with everything internally vandalised.

ROC[25] - ratpack cheese

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 14:37:12 +0000

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ratpack [canned / tinned] cheese -
So, during several training exercises in the Group Control, we ended up eating from "ratpacks" of a decent vintage.
it was almost completely impossible to melt this, however we tried nuking it [oven, grill and microwave]
I can't say I really enjoyed it in the way I would a slab of Wensleydale, but it was edible.

Of the other items in the 8-man packs ; the "Biscuits, oatmeal" - being very hard - were best beaten up and cooked as porridge ...
Some of the canned & packet [boil-in-the-bag] meals were actually quite nice !

It was quite a challenge, logistically speaking, to cook / feed a crew & a half plus the "extras" like the warning team in the small galley and clean up properly afterwards.

cos/ROC[26] - post instrument

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 20:30:19 +0000

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WW2-era Post Instrument ---

used for plotting / determining altitude and track of [enemy] aircraft and the data reported to the control centre.

Part of the response to the Battle of Britain and was also used during The Blitz ...

ROC - crest and cap badge ...

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 10:08:56 +0000

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The ROC badge and crest show a 16th-century Beacon Lighter holding aloft a flaming torch while shading his eyes with his free hand, as though looking towards a distant object, or place. This central figure is encircled by a gilt laurel wreath and surmounted by the Royal Crown [St Edward's not the Tudor crown], the motto being Forewarned is Forearmed.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Observer_Corps

not my image : fair use & public information

ROC - damage to Hiroshima

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 17:01:01 +0000

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Damage to Hiroshima from the bomb dropped on 06Aug1945, and the subsequent firestorm*.
Casualty estimates ... [varies as the number of civilians present was not recorded in detail - and records were lost / damaged in the aftermath].
90,000–166,000 killed - made up as :-
80,000–156,000 civilians
10,000 soldiers
12 Allied prisoners of war

[*Urban areas in Japan were mostly timber buildings, unless built for earthquake resistance].

not my image : fair use & public information

ROC - Uranium isotopes

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:01:57 +0000

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Stages in the U-235 enrichment processes.

not my image : fair use & public information

ROC - comparisons

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:47:41 +0000

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in 1945 "Little Boy" had a yield equivalent to 13 - 16 Kilotons on TNT [usually given as 15]

and by 1961 the Soviet Union had tested their Tsar Bomba - dropped from a Tu-95 aka "Bear" which had a yield calculated at 50 MT [the original design was for 100MT, but lead was substituted during construction to reduce fallout from the test, and initial estimates were about 58MT].

Note : fallout occurs if material from the ground is lifted into the fireball and becomes irradiated, before dropping back down.

Not my Image : fair use & public information

ROC - V1 impact sites in the UK {WW2}

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 21:12:34 +0000

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The Germans launched 10,386 V1 missiles against the UK between June 1944 and March 1945, each carrying a 1,870 lb warhead. Most, but not all, of these were nominally aimed at Tower Bridge in London. Of the V1’s launched, 7573 V1 missiles (73%) were considered non-abortive and thus presented a net threat to British defences. Of these, 1,847 were downed by fighters, 1,878 were destroyed by anti-aircraft fire and 232 struck barrage balloons. Of the remainder 2,419 V1s (23%) successfully reached the London civil defence region; killing about 6,184 people and injuring 17,981.The greatest density of hits was received by Croydon, on the south-east fringe of London.
Launch sites aimed at London were overrun by September 1944.
Subsequently, Antwerp [Belgium] was hit by 2,448 V-1s from October 1944 to March 1945, Brussels was also attacked..

Not my image ; fair use & public information

ROC - underground monitoring post

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 21:41:40 +0000

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Post schematic illustration. [I know that a number of posts added at least one additional layer of 2" thick paving slabs over the surface for further protection - in one case, because the soil tended to wash away, despite the grass.]

There were 872 of these, dotted around the UK. Organised into clusters of two to five posts, within the 25 Groups.

ROC - 23 Group

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 18:52:23 +0000

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Scan of a print [not sure when I took that, as there are only two cars visible - late 1980s probably].

The fully above ground building ROC 23 Group control, [The Sands, Durham]
Admin offices at the far end, top floor.
There was a "demountable" meeting / training building further to the right.

After closure, the site was cleared and is now a car park ...

ROC - protection by buildings

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 13:08:59 +0000

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This shows the "average" protection factor in various types of undamaged buildings - which is derived by working out distance from source [eg settled fallout] plus material type[s] and thickness[es].
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not my image : fair use & public education

ROC - decay / half-life

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 13:08:41 +0000

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The half-life curve - plotting from the time of the detonation NOT the time of fallout deposition, as this may continue for some time.
[However, the normal half-life decay curve applies to the fallout once accumulation / deposition has concluded - assuming weather or other local conditions do not "stir things around" .
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not my image : fair use & public education

ROC - radiation effects

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 13:08:40 +0000

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The relative risk to the human body from exposure to alpha, beta and gamma radiation, as emitted by fallout [ignoring the intense burst of electro-magnetic radiation from the actual detonation].

Alpha particles are relatively low power, even skin [unbroken] is an effective barrier, as are a very few inches of air.
Beta particles are more energetic but are stopped by a thin layer of metal ...
Gamma radiation is very energetic, requiring lead or greater thicknesses of other materials for protection. [cf X-rays]

However, all three are capable of much more serious damage to the human body if ingested [and that includes deposition in the lungs from breathing in contamination]

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not my image : fair use & public education

ROC - ROC OR-9 [m/obs]

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 11:22:09 +0000

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Back in the late 1980s/1990ish, the upper echelons of the Royal Observer Corps were considering implementing a new NCO rank. [the four stripe "Master Observer" m/obs ie OR-9 ]. This would be to act as an assistant to the Group Commandant in matters such logistics and running the power, ventilation etc in the building.
I was given to understand that I was in the running for this promotion - especially after I passed a summer school course with an almost perfect score on the final test.
Unfortunately, the ROC stand down in 1991 prevented this ...

sam - Royal Observer Corps [3 of 3]

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 17:12:20 +0000

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A potted biography of the service by Obs. Cdr. Ken Whitfield, M.B.E. in the Royal Observer Corps.

Apologies for the poor quality.

sam - Royal Observer Corps [2 of 3]

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 17:12:12 +0000

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Group Commandant K Whitfield, MBE ... 23 Group {Durham} Royal Observer Corps.

Ken was a great character, and always good to work for [or with].

sam - Royal Observer Corps [1 of 3]

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 17:12:04 +0000

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Display of items and information about the Royal Observer Corps and Observer Commander Ken Whitfield, M.B.E., the Group Commandant of 23 Group ROC.

Seeing this caught me by surprise; I knew KW, as I was a volunteer member [and NCO] at the Group Control in Durham.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Observer_Corps

ScI - Oban control (27 Group ROC)[2 of 2]

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 21:54:17 +0000

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The remains of the 27 Group ROC Control at North Connel, near Oban.

www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/oban-roc-group-hq

ScI - Oban control (27 Group ROC)[1 of 2]

nobody@ipernity.com (StoneRoad2013) — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 21:54:17 +0000

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The remains of the 27 Group ROC Control at North Connel, near Oban.

www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/oban-roc-group-hq