Luftmeldekorpset Explained

Unit Name:Air Reporting Corps
Native Name:Danish: Luftmeldekorpset
Dates:1934–2004
Country: Denmark
Branch:Home Guard (from 1952)
Type:Civil defence organisation
Role:Aircraft recognition and reporting (1934–1991)
Nuclear warfare analysis and fallout warning service (1952–2004)
Command Structure:Home Guard Command
Battles:Second World War (1939–1945)
Cold War (1947–1991)

The Danish: Luftmeldekorps (LMK;) was a Danish civil defence organisation which performed aircraft recognition during WWII, and a nuclear warning role from 1952,[1] whilst retaining the aircraft recognition role due to the proximity of Warsaw Pact countries until 1991. The LMK was disbanded in 2004.[2]

Cooperation with the Royal Observer Corps

Following the Second World War, the Danish Home Guard sought to develop the LMK, and looked to an organisation with a similar role, the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) of the United Kingdom.

Aircraft recognition competitions between the LMK and ROC took place annually until 1991, despite the ROC no longer having an operational role of aircraft recognition. Honours remained roughly even over the history of the competitions, with the four man ROC team taking the trophy in the final contest.[3]

Liaison visits were also organised between LMKHQ, located in the basement of the main Carlsberg brewery in Copenhagen, and ROCHQ, based at RAF Bentley Priory.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Flyverhjemmeværnet bliver 75 år i 2009 . da . The Air Force will be 75 years old in 2009 . . 18 November 2009 . 13 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200929101358/https://www.hjv.dk/oe/HVE283/Historie/Sider/default.aspx . 29 September 2020.
  2. Web site: Luftmeldekorpsets historie . da . History of the Luftmeldekorpset . Hjemmeværnet.
  3. Web site: Historisk Gruppe - HVE 233 Lolland-Falster . Luftmeldekorpset.dk . https://web.archive.org/web/20220517083946/https://luftmeldekorpset.dk/ . 17 May 2022.