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View Full Version : Week St. Mary ROC Post (Cornwall Group) - April 2012



Tankman
07-04-2012, 05:56 PM
On our usual Hols down in Cornwall! This post was visited by BK, the same time last year, but alas I was not around then.
So we re-checked it out, this time doing a through job of the post, internally as well.
History on the ROC post has already been reported on the forum, cept to say a bit of in-depth history of the often overlooked WWII Aircraft observation Post.

http://inlinethumb06.webshots.com/49861/2728415830033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://news.webshots.com/photo/2728415830033241453FAeIsb)

The diagram above gives a good idea of the layout of the Observation post and how it originally looked like. refer to this when looking over the photos:thumb

History:

The observation post along with the later ROC post is set high on a hill and can clearly be seen if approaching from Week Orchard, or Treskinnick Cross. It was designated as N2 of No.20 Group, Truro.
When the Observer Corps first established a Post at Week St. Mary in 1941, a flimsy wooden structure was erected. The present brick tower was built three years later in 1944. Although the tower has deteriorated with age, its layout is still complete. The area was once fenced off from the public with barbed wire. Some of the concrete posts are still in situ.

http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/47967/2353602590033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://news.webshots.com/photo/2353602590033241453MKqadE)

The side of the Observation post is minus its wooden external stair case and has deteriorated badly over time and from vandalism.

http://inlinethumb45.webshots.com/8236/2820270300033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://news.webshots.com/photo/2820270300033241453ouLzLj)

The Post was brick built and of two floors. Sleeping accommodation was on the ground floor with a stove for warmth. The Hearth and flue pipe still exist.
The upper floor contains a shelter and the observation platform. Originally linked by telephone, a rusty hook up bracket is still visible at the top SW corner. The chart post still survives, the reinforced concrete pillar/ladder supported the large brass plotting chart. This was used to plot the direction of aircraft movements.

http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/48282/2952995980033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://news.webshots.com/photo/2952995980033241453PiAgaf)

The stove hearth still remains in good condition along with one end of the bed, on the ground floor.

At the end of WWII the post was stood down. However only a couple of years later in 1947 it was reactivated and subsequently reused again in the early years of the Cold War for aircraft observation.
In 1953 the Post was redesignated as 132 of the re-numbered No.10 Group, Truro. In June 1960, the tower was decommissioned as the ROC went underground. The subsequent ROC underground post was built nearby. This continued until October 1968, when due to restructuring of the ROC, Week St Mary Post was closed and abandoned.

http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/49620/2911676430033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://news.webshots.com/photo/2911676430033241453hSjeno)

The underground post was built alongside the observation post. The entrance shaft is built very low into the ground and is small compared to most ROC post entrances, with small ventilation louvres.

http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/50505/2439421690033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://news.webshots.com/photo/2439421690033241453JZTcOT)

For a 68, closure it is pretty clean of graffiti. Unfortunatly the post is flooded to about 3 inches of water which does not appear to go down or up!

http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/50201/2097260690033241453S500x500Q85.jpg (http://news.webshots.com/photo/2097260690033241453FrwBSd)

At the bottom of the shaft lays the smashed off FSM pipe along with bricks from the Observation post. The flooding of the post has definatly been caused by the FSM pipe being smashed off at ground level, a contributing factor is also the low postion of the rear vent shaft which also lets in water.

http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/47412/2090080380033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://news.webshots.com/photo/2090080380033241453vDmrvi)

Nothing remains internally except the original bunks, pump, and doors.

http://inlinethumb20.webshots.com/50003/2982774910033241453S600x600Q85.jpg (http://news.webshots.com/photo/2982774910033241453OatpYE)

Since BK's report last year, someone has at least attempted to stop/slow down water ingress into the bunker from the rear vent, although this appears to have been some time ago?

Overall I think this post could make a good restoration project. Its free from Graff! and apart from the 3 inches of water which could easily be sorted out, a little time spent would really cheer this place up a lot. With the restoration of the aircraft observation post this could become North Cornwall's first WWII/Cold War ROC resto. (Maybe when I move down here) And fantastic views to boot:clap

Thanks for looking.

ERNIE99_UK
09-04-2012, 12:07 AM
its very rare to find a 68 with the counterbalance still attached. its good for one abandoned so long.

Krypton
09-04-2012, 07:08 PM
i really wish all the aircraft posts would get listed and repaired