Nuclear War in the UK

"...followed by a buffet lunch."

Europe wants to ready its citizens for war. Will they listen? Europe is scrambling to prepare its citizens for the growing threat of conflict arriving on its doorstep.

I was quoted in this article about nuclear war survival guides on @cnn.com (Though, for the record, I think whitewashing your windows is one of the better pieces of advice in Protect and Survive!)

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! I also like the Shipping Forecast

Adolescence team to remake Threads nuclear attack epic Sheffield-based Warp Films firm plans to turn the 1984 movie Threads into a TV series, it says.

TV series remake of Threads on the cards. Not clear why or how it will improve on the original, but hey ho. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Revealed: what happened to county's nuclear bunker PROTESTS broke out in Herefordshire as plans for a nuclear bunker in the county were made public.

Revealed: what happened to Herefordshire's nuclear bunker www.herefordtimes.com/news/2503758...

If you’re looking for a stimulating way to spend some time on Tues 22nd April, I’d love to invite you to this FREE online event I’m hosting discussing #nuclear apocalypse in 1980s #film &TV in Britain/America (registration helpful but not essential). See you there? www.eventbrite.com/e/living-thr...

Front cover of a book called "Nuclear War in the UK." The front cover shows civilian volunteers plotting bomb strikes in a nuclear war exercise.

Blurb of the book

I have my guide ready.
(And I thought this would be a Cold War kid's nostalgic retreat to the 80s when I bought it)

Nuclear war: not just for Christmas! 🤯

1984: The FALLOUT From THREADS | Did You See? | Classic TV Review | BBC Archive YouTube video by BBC Archive

BBC Archive has shared an excerpt from 'Did You See...?' (1984) on nuclear horror film Threads. Features interviews with director Mick Jackson and writer Barry Hines, plus discussions with military strategiests, CND and others. Well worth a look. #coldwarhist #coldwar www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWJj...

KING BISCUIT TIME- C I AM 15 YouTube video by Steve Mason

This continues a tradition of Scottish musicians filming their music videos in bunkers. King Biscuit Time (former Beta Band front man Steve Mason) recorded the promo for 'C I AM 15' at the former Scottish North Zone Headquarters in Anstruther back in 2005. www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ii...

Hyperaccumulator YouTube video by Idiogram

Idiogram (a Scottish band who I suppose fall into the 'post-rock' genre) filmed their new video in Barnton Quarry bunker, a former Regional Seat of Government which is currently (still) being restored. You can watch the video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJGP...

Opinion: The playing of "Silent night" on the record player and over the credits makes "The War Game" (Peter Watkins, 1966) a Christmas film!

The psychological impact of nuclear war How would you hold up psychologically if a nuclear bomb was dropped? Discover the British government’s secret predictions from the 1980s.

In 1981, a civil servant at the Home Office identified a surprising group who'd thrive after nuclear war: psychopaths. Their immunity from emotion led government officials to briefly consider them for post-apocalyptic leadership roles. Read more: https://buff.ly/4fNxw7k #coldwarhist #nuclearwar

How to Survive a Nuclear War: The York Experiment

When three volunteers tested the government's nuclear shelter advice, they didn't expect such disturbing results. The women became listless and reported hallucinations after just 48 hours in their makeshift fallout room. My article on the 'York Experiment' here: www.historytoday.com/miscellanies...

Box Tunnel is actually linked to Burlington / Turnstile nuclear bunker. But the Strategic Steam Reserve is a myth. (or is it?)

The forgotten legacy of Britain's nuclear weapons tests YouTube video by Imperial War Museums

70+ years after Britain's first nuclear test, a new video from the Imperial War Museum explores its complex legacy. The tests secured Britain's place on the world stage, but thousands of veterans still seek recognition for the radiation exposure they say it caused. www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNYk...

It seems even more short-sighted now than it did then!

screenshot of a page in a book about some magazines about civil defence

photo of “Protect and survive Monthly” front cover, with a woman in a bunker holding her cat as the cover asks “will your pet survive a nuclear war?”

photo of a collection of council produced nuclear war booklets, such as Leicester and the Bomb, Leeds and the Bomb, Bristol and the Bomb, Kirklees and the bomb. The next page is Hull and the Bomb

some more council booklets: Oxford and the Bomb, Bradford the day after, Wrekin and the bomb, Householders Survival Guide (West Sussex)

My copy of “Nuclear War In The UK” arrived today and it’s pretty good

Thanks, I was aiming for pretty good!

Help Us Finish The Job ! We are looking for your support to help us complete our new Cold War exhibition and bring some iconic artefacts to the museum. We have recently acquired a superb example of a Westland Lynx for the ex...

Dumfries and Galloway Aviation Museum has started work on a new building, set to house the story of the Cold War - including the Civil Defence services. They need to raise £10,000 to finish the job - help them out here: www.justgiving.com/campaign/dum...

A man in a uniform stands on top of a half-completed Royal Observer Corps monitoring post bunker. He's leaning against the ventilation shaft, which is yet to be buried. There's excavated earth and chalk all around. The photo looks to be from the early 1960s.

A few years ago, I came across these pics of an ROC Post under construction at Hog's Back in Surrey. These bunkers played a crucial role in the UK's civil defence strategy, but it's rare to see one being built. More images on the blog: coldwar.org.uk/building-a-b... #coldwarhist #nuclearwar #bunkers

I didn't get an email or anything about it so probably would have forgotten - in fact, searching for 'arcc' or 'vole' doesn't turn anything up in my inbox! Although I might have opted out or something.

A cheese on the dinner table called BLACK CROWDIE

They can make me come to dinner
But they can't stop me thinking about crow game

The history of E3 Discover the interesting origins of the world’s sassiest gaming convention with The History of Fun crew

You may enjoy the episode of the "History of Fun" podcast about E3
www.polygon.com/history-of-f...

Cover sheet of a document entitled 'Tanzania People Defence Force - Supply of Books - Invitattion for Tender'. It shows that 3 copies of my book 'Nuclear War in the UK' are required.

My hand holding a copy of the book 'Nuclear War in the UK'.

My book is apparently on the official reading list of the Tanzania People's Defence Force. Thanks Tanzania, and good luck with whatever you're planning!

Raymond Briggs's nuclear horror graphic novel "When The Wind Blows" on a shelf next to books about pirates and witches

The placement of When the Wind Blows next to this Halloween display of children's books is either very intentional or completely unintentional

A newspaper article showing a family wearing full protective gear against nuclear attack.

The Survivors - a real-life 'nuclear family', as depicted in a Daily Mirror special report at the height of nuclear anxiety in late 1980.

A newspaper article from the 1980s captioned 'The Warning - Four minutes, but there won't be time to tell YOU'.

Golf ball-style radar domes on a Yorkshire moor, set against a dull sky.

A busy 1970s operations room full of RAF staff.

The radomes, aka golf balls, at RAF Fylingdales in Yorkshire. Part of BMEWS (the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System), they helped provide the UK's 'four minute warning' ahead of incoming nuclear attack until the early 1990s. Also pictured is the RAF Fylingdales operations room.

A 1980s photo of a Bentall Simplex fallout shelter being installed in the ground.

A 1980s magazine ad for a fallout shelter captioned 'The shelter that saves'.

Like most bunker-building companies in the UK in the '80s, Bentall Simplex's stock in trade wasn't nuclear shelters. It was an agricultural engineering company, making products like grain handling equipment. Others building shelters as a sideline included marine engineering firms.

An advertisement for a fallout shelter which reads 'How the Bentall Simplex Shelter secures your family's future'.

An early 1980s ad for the Bentall Simplex home fallout shelter, which was designed to meet UK Home Office standards. Note the family happily enjoying their comfortable new life underground.