During the Cold War period, the threat of nuclear attack on North America by manned bombers from the U.S.S.R. was taken seriously. Air defence radar stations, staffed with American and Canadian personnel, were set up in three systems across Canada to detect incoming Soviet bombers.
Three lines of radar stations were established in the 1950s and 60s to detect a Soviet bomber attack on North America
RCAF Ground Observer Corps : "The eyes and ears of the RCAF"
In addition to the radar networks, a manual backup system called the Ground Observer Corps (GObC) was created in 1951 and remained in operation until 1964. The GObC was a reporting system consisting of a network of observation posts across Canada manned by over 50,000 unpaid civilian volunteers who observed and reported aircraft movements. Reports were forwarded to "Filter Centres" which verified the information and passed it on to Air Defence Command.
GObC Recruiting Ads
At a time when nuclear war was considered a real possibility, the Ground Observer Corps gave anxious citizens an opportunity to do something they thought would help protect Canada. The recruiting ads shown below, appealing to loyalty and patriotism, help explain why so many thousands of Canadians from all walks of life volunteered to act as "the eyes and ears of the RCAF".
St. Maurice (Que) Valley Chronicle
April 10, 1958
Ottawa Citizen, June 7, 1957
Vancouver Slogan Cancellation
In February and March, 1957, the Vancouver Post Office used a slogan cancellation which promoted the GObC. Vancouver was the only post office in the country that used the slogan.
Vancouver, April 20, 1957
GROUND OBSERVER
CORPS
THE CIVILIAN ARM
OF THE R.C.A.F.
References
AV Canada RCAF History Forum
The Coutts Slogan Cancel Database, Postal History Society of Canada
Watching the Skies-The RCAF Ground Observer Corps, Essa Times, Nov. 23, 2007
Wilson, Gordon, NORAD and the Soviet Nuclear Threat : Canada's Electronic Air War
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Addendum
There were 20 Ground Observer Corps Units/Squadrons across Canada.
1 RCAF GobC Unit – Vancouver, British Columbia
5 RCAF GobC Unit – North Bay, Ontario
6 RCAF GobC Unit – Trois Riviere, Quebec
7 RCAF GobC Unit – Halifax, Nova Scotia
8 RCAF GobC Unit – St. John’s, Newfoundland * Disbanded in January, 1955
10 RCAF GobC Squadron – Vancouver, British Columbia
11 RCAF GobC Unit – Prince George, British Columbia
20 RCAF GobC Squadron– Edmonton, Alberta
50 RCAF GobC Squadron– North Bay, Ontario
51 RCAF GobC Squadron – Barrie, Ontario * The unit designator would be later given to the GobC
squadron formed at Winnipeg, Manitoba
52 RCAF GobC Squadron – London, Ontario
53 RCAF GobC Squadron – Brockville, Ontario
54 RCAF GobC Squadron – Peterborough, Ontario
60 RCAF GobC Squadron – St. Jerome, Quebec
61 RCAF GobC Squadron – Rimouski, Quebec
70 RCAF GobC Squadron – Truro, Nova Scotia
71 RCAF GobC Squadron – Moncton, New Brunswick
72 RCAF GobC Squadron – Gander, Newfoundland * Redesignated as 80 RCAF GobC Squadron in January 1955
