Royal Observer Corps WWII Operations Room

Bury St Edmunds Guildhall contains the only surviving WWII Operations Room of the Royal Observer Corps – an unsung group of local heroes who were the ‘eyes and ears of the RAF’ during the Battle of Britain. Their story has been hidden behind a veil of secrecy for over 80 years, but now it’s all been declassified for you to explore.

Discover the stories of the remarkable people who worked in the Ops Room, how they protected the skies over Suffolk and our American allies and the incredible events they were part of.

The No. 14 Group of the ROC based in this room employed state of the art communication technology and the room is set up with the plotting table, wall chart and the teleprinter in the adjoining Robing Room.

There is also the remarkable clock, described as ‘The Clock that Saved Britain’, a unique electric Sector Clock for Britain’s air defence network, designed for complete accuracy in order to keep track of raids on the plotting table. The whole room was laid out to ensure that the gallery could clearly see what was going on. Lighting and paint colours were carefully chosen to maximise visibility and avoid reflection or shadows on the table.

The Guildhall’s ROC Operations Room is the only surviving one of its kind in the world – a small space with an incredible story to tell.

The WWII Operations Room is open to the public on open days throughout the year with Free Entry (check website above for details) and available for private tours.