The
Royal Observer Corps (
ROC) was a
civil defence organisation operating in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December 1995, when the Corps' civilian volunteers were stood down. (ROC headquarters staff at
RAF Bentley Priory stood down on 31 March 1996). Composed mainly of civilian spare-time volunteers, ROC personnel wore a
Royal Air Force (RAF) style uniform and latterly came under the administrative control of
RAF Strike Command and the operational control of the
Home Office. Civilian volunteers were trained and administered by a small
cadre of professional full-time officers under the command of the
Commandant Royal Observer Corps; latterly a serving RAF
Air Commodore.