Forewarned is forearmed

[VNAMVET70]

I recently received this booklet "Forewarned is Forearmed" The Authorized History of the Royal Observer Corps., by T.E. Winslow. It was sent by The Royal Observer Corps Museum in UK. The Curator of the Museum sent a nice letter with my mother's certified personnel records. My mother at age 18 worked in the plotting room located at Truro, SW England,  where there were maps showing locations of the german military. My father was an Army Captain at the time, before D-Day where he landed on Utah Beach. He was introduced to Mom and they both said it was love at first sight.  My mother's rank: Woman Observer. Duties: Plotter. CLASS: Full Time UNIT: 20 Group ROC, Truro Operations Room. Truro, Cornwall, England, Stood Down: 7/7/1945...............discharge date.

 

In the ROC Book on page 244 there is a discussion about the two attacks that took place in Truro. It recounts an attack on Truro on Aug 6, 1942, where "two ME-109s appeared at a very low altitude in Truro, where two bombs were dropped in the town and the streets machine-gunned." The other attack in September 1942 consisted of Truro being hit with 200 incendiary bombs.

 

I recall Mom telling the story of Auntie Betty and Auntie Eileen walking down the street in Truro when a German plane (Messerschmidt) flew down the street firing a machine-gun. She told of the pilot flying so low that Auntie Betty and Auntie Eileen actually looked him in the eye. They ducked into a storefront entrance way and were unharmed.

 

The Curator of The Royal Observer Corps Museum wrote "as you will almost certainly not be able to obtain a copy of the ROC's Wartime History, 'Forewarned is Forearmed' I have enclosed a copy which will give you an insight into the momentous events in which your mother took part."

 

 

  

[Brian Keith]

Excellent story about you family. Very nice the museum sent you the book. I've always said that a "War Bride" was the ultimate War Souvenir!

Thanks for posting this.

BKW