A considerable amount of further research has been carried out since the Parish at War articles were first published several years ago.The updated research is now published in the book
A Parish at War launched on 11.11.11 and obtainable via Deddington Library or
email Rob Forsyth
The ROC had had an observation post in WWII just to the North of the Hempton Road by the old Council Houses (click
HERE) A new underground Monitoring Post was built for the Cold War in a new location P451345 and was renamed Bloxham, OXF/17.(see below on NE side of the old airfield).
The OP would have been linked to a nation wide underground location in Wiltshire created for the purpose of providing a nuclear shlter for the government in case of all out nuclear war. More about this seccret city can be found by following THIS LINK.
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One of the crew who manned the post was Andrew Bell (No 153577). This photograph (courtesy of Andrew) was taken in 1986.
Andrew enrolled in the Royal Observer Corps in the rank of Observer, for duty on the Bloxham Post from July 1982 to 1989.
There were 25 Observer Groups in the U.K. at that time and over 800 monitoring posts. The Bloxham Post came under No.3 Group H.Q. based at Cowley Barracks in Oxford.
Local training evenings were held regularly in Bloxham, often meeting members of other organisations concerned with home defence. Special weekend exercises took place on a national scale to prepare observers at the monitoring posts to carry out their duties following a nuclear bomb-burst. A highlight of the annual programme was attending a voluntary training camp for a week at a selected R.A.F. station. Courses were designed to be interesting and active, providing maximum value by improving knowledge of the Corps and its operational role.
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