BBC nuclear bomb script released! (Incase of Nuclear Attack)

BBC nuclear bomb script released!

news.bbc.co.uk

A script written by the BBC and the government to be broadcast in the event of a nuclear attack has been published.

The script, written in the 1970s and released by the National Archives, included instructions to "stay calm and stay in your own homes".

It said communications had been disrupted, and the number of casualties and extent of damage were not known.

Other papers reveal debates about how to ensure the person reading the script was authoritative and comforting.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 3-10-2008 by dodgygeeza]

This is the trasncript from the PDF document.

BBC TRANSCIPT TO BE USED IN WAKE OF NUCLEAR ATTACK
This is the Wartime Broadcasting Service. This country has been attacked with nuclear weapons. Communications have been severely disrupted, and the number of casualties and the extent of the damage are not yet known.

We shall bring you further information as soon as possible. Meanwhile, stay tuned to this wave length, stay calm and stay in your own homes.
Remember there is nothing to be gained by trying to get away. By leaving your homes you could be exposing yourselves to greater danger. If you leave, you may find yourself without food, without water, without Accommodation and without protection. Radioactive fall-out, which followed a nuclear explosion, is many times more dangerous if you are directly exposed to it in the open.

Roofs and walls offer substantial protection. The safest place is indoors.
Make sure gas and other fuel supplies are turned off and that all fires are
extinguished. If mains water is available, this can be used for fire-fighting.
You should also refill all your containers for drinking water after the fires
have been put out, because the mains water supply may not be available for very long.

Water must not be used for flushing lavatories: until you are told that
lavatories may be used again, other toilet arrangements must be made. Use your water only for essential drinking and cooking purposes. Water means life. Don't waste it.

Make your food stocks last: ration your supply, because it may have to last for 14 days or more. If you have fresh food in the house, use this first to avoid wasting it: food in tins will keep.

If you live in an area where a fall-out warning has been given, stay in your
fall-out room until you are told it is safe to come out. When the immediate
danger has passed the sirens will sound a steady note. The "all clear" message will also be given on this wavelength. If you leave the fall-out room to go to the lavatory or replenish food or water supplies, do not remain outside the room for a minute longer than is necessary.

Do not, in any circumstances, go outside the house. Radioactive fall-out can kill. You cannot see it or fell it, but it is there. If you go outside, you will bring danger to your family and you may die. Stay in your fall-out room until you are told it is safe to come out or you hear the "all clear" on the sirens.

Here are the main points again:
- Stay in your own homes, and if you live in an area where a fall-out warning has been given stay in your fall-out room, until you are told it is safe to come
out.

- The message that the immediate danger has passed will be given by the
sirens and repeated on this wavelength.

- Make sure that the gas and all fuel supplies are turned off and that all fires are extinguished.

- Water must be rationed, and used only for essential drinking and cooking
purposes. It must not be used for flushing lavatories.

- Ration your food supply: it may have to last for 14 days or more.

- We shall repeat this broadcast in two hours' time. Stay tuned to this
wavelength, but switch your radios off now to save your batteries until we come on the air again. That is the end of this broadcast.

- The timing of this is quite scary in my opinion. Now that the world is potentially falling into economic collapse, purhaps we are wide open to "terrorist" attacks or even...Russia?

This doesn't sound like something that would be randomly released.

Didn't Russia recently send one of its bombers within 10 miles of Hull?

Scary times. Why the UK?

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 3-10-2008 by dodgygeeza]

The only thing I got from reading that is that it in no way calmed me down.

Never mind the spelling mistakes, this does not look genuine. And yet it is...


This really does seem like an end of the world type speech and not something I want want to hear ever... I think it may actually have been released to give a feeling of safety at the moment.

think about it, by releasing it to the public they are subliminally saying "Well the threat is gone now, have a look at this back from a time the danger was real."

It's confusing

Or they are trying to fly under the radar and disseminate information about what to do without overtly briefing people of the threat.

We all know the danger of nuclear warfare has increased substantially within the past 12 months. Hell, if Georgia had been part of NATO, we wouldn't be sitting here talking right now...

I think this is a subtle and rather clever way of subconsciously training people in what to do without raising panic.

Originally posted by dodgygeeza
This is the trasncript from the PDF document.

- The timing of this is quite scary in my opinion. Now that the world is potentially falling into economic collapse, purhaps we are wide open to "terrorist" attacks or even...Russia?

This doesn't sound like something that would be randomly released.

Didn't Russia recently send one of its bombers within 10 miles of Hull?

Scary times. Why the UK?

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 3-10-2008 by dodgygeeza]

Firstly, I'm fairly sure the contents of this or things very, very similar have been circulating for years. Yes, it seems a bit grim for this to seen at the moment, but let's have it right, when is a 'good' time to read this kind of material?

Secondly, with regards to Russian bombers, and "why the UK?", has it ever been ascertained which direction the bomber came from? If you look at a map, it makes you wonder which European countries the bomber didn't fly over or fly close to in getting so close to Hull.

Originally posted by Merriman Weir

Originally posted by dodgygeeza
This is the trasncript from the PDF document.

- The timing of this is quite scary in my opinion. Now that the world is potentially falling into economic collapse, purhaps we are wide open to "terrorist" attacks or even...Russia?

This doesn't sound like something that would be randomly released.

Didn't Russia recently send one of its bombers within 10 miles of Hull?

Scary times. Why the UK?

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 3-10-2008 by dodgygeeza]

Firstly, I'm fairly sure the contents of this or things very, very similar have been circulating for years. Yes, it seems a bit grim for this to seen at the moment, but let's have it right, when is a 'good' time to read this kind of material?

Secondly, with regards to Russian bombers, and "why the UK?", has it ever been ascertained which direction the bomber came from? If you look at a map, it makes you wonder which European countries the bomber didn't fly over or fly close to in getting so close to Hull.

When I said "why the UK?" I was being an arse: as is "typical, I happen to live in the UK".

Fair point nonetheless.

[edit on 3-10-2008 by dodgygeeza]

Originally posted by dodgygeeza

When I said "why the UK?" I was being an arse: as is "typical, I happen to live in the UK".

Fair point nonetheless.

[edit on 3-10-2008 by dodgygeeza]

Ha! I knew what you meant, but don't resent something you couldn't help, the accident of birth that placed you in the UK. Resent the fact that the rest of the world, and that includes both Russia and America, has traditionally just seen the UK as a runway for American planes.

reply to post by StevenDye


Spelling mistakes? Didn't see any myself, care to point them out, please?

As for the content, it is typically British in my eyes:

"We've been nuked, do this to stay alive, we'll tell you more soon"

If you got freaked out by that after a nuclear attack, then you've got funny priorities, chap!! To me, the fact that anyone is still living in central London and there is a, somewhat, functioning Government would be some security. At least it would offer the hope that seeing as the Government survived, that probably means we got a few nukes back at whoever got us!

Originally posted by Merriman Weir
Secondly, with regards to Russian bombers, and "why the UK?", has it ever been ascertained which direction the bomber came from? If you look at a map, it makes you wonder which European countries the bomber didn't fly over or fly close to in getting so close to Hull.

They got there by flying from Murmansk (or there abouts) and going round the Scandinavian coast, over the North Sea. They don't fly in a straight line from Moscow!! That's why, more often than not, Norwegian fighters will be the first to intercept and track them until RAF fighters take over when they are deemed to be approaching the UK.

Actually, according to the bulletin of the atomic scientists (who *really* pay attention to this stuff) we're only at five minutes to midnight.. the time when this thing was probably written people were far closer to nuclear war.

So take heart!

Originally posted by stumason
They got there by flying from Murmansk (or there abouts) and going round the Scandinavian coast, over the North Sea. They don't fly in a straight line from Moscow!! That's why, more often than not, Norwegian fighters will be the first to intercept and track them until RAF fighters take over when they are deemed to be approaching the UK.

That was one of the possibilities I thought of when I looked at a map myself even though I wasn't actually aware of the exact route and I certainly wasn't suggesting "fly in a straight line from Moscow!!"

The point I was making was that whilst it seems a bit nervy that the plane was so close to Hull, the truth of the matter was that in getting there, it would have at least passed by other countries who could have equally been potential targets. Whilst I'm not saying that "dodgygeeza" was implying that the UK was being solely or specifically targeted in some way, I was just stating that any country en route could have potentially been a target.

Actually I though I had seen more on the first read, I guess not.

The first one is

Radioactive fall-out, which followed a nuclear explosion

It should read as "which follows, not followed"

The second one is

see it or fell it

which should read as "see it or feel it"

The third I am unsure on...

two hours' time

Does it need the ' ? Though that could simply be bad grammar on my behalf.

Simple mistakes I know, but they seem incredibly careless for something so important...

[edit on 3-10-2008 by StevenDye]

This BBC file only goes up to the late 1970s - whereas a couple of years ago I managed to obtain (through the good old FOIA) a copy of this, and a later WTBS file (1980s -1993).

If you merge the two together, and couple it with other recently declassified material, you get some idea of what the build up to a nuclear attack on the UK would have sounded like via WTBS broadcasts.



At times of international emergency, such as the declaration of a NATO Simple Alert, the introduction of emergency arrangements would, if time permitted, be in two stages. In the first, the Cabinet Office and all Departments would be warned to place themselves at ‘immediate notice’ to work on a 24 hour basis. The codeword for this in the late 1960's was MACMORRIS.

The second stage would be the adoption of “24 hour working”. This would be given in the late 1960's by the issuing of the codeword FLUELLEN.

It would also have prompted the following BBC announcement.

1. Early Warning

You may be wondering as many people are what will happen if the current crisis develops into conflict and wondering how you will find out what is happening. Well the BBC will do everything possible to maintain its broadcasts but it will probably mean that we cannot maintain our full normal service.
The only advice we can offer you now is to make sure that you have a supply of batteries for any portable or transistor radio you may have and of course we will give you information about which is the best station for you to be tuned to if that should prove necessary.

If the international emergency worsened and the Precautionary Stage was declared (the late 1960's codeword - SHADWELL), the following announcements would have been broadcast.


2. Precise information including re-tuning information

In order for us to maintain a service of broadcasts during any conflict that might develop we have arranged for our services to be provided region by region throughout the country. Over the next four days you will be seeing information on television which tells you which of our transmitters you should tune to depending on where you live. It is not necessary to retune to those frequencies yet but it would be helpful if you made a note of them and found the place on your tuning dial before you have to use it. I will now read you that information area by area but as I say you will be able to see it on your television screen at …….


3. Retuning information including re-tuning instructions

You will already have heard by now that BBC has made arrangements to provide a special service of broadcasts in the case of conflict. You may already have the information relating to the area where you live. In a moment I will read that information again and you will be able to see it on your television screen. When you have the information for your area you should retune your set to that transmitter so that you are ready to receive the relevant information for your locality. You should stay tuned to that frequency where you will hear announcements confirming that you are on the right point on the dial. We have had to stop normal broadcasting and very shortly we will be providing a wartime broadcasting service which you will only receive on that frequency. Here is the information that you require to retune and don’t forget you can see it on your television screen if you miss the information for your area.


4. WTBS opening statement

This is the Wartime Broadcasting Service from now until further notice. All broadcasting in this country will be part of this service which will bring you up to date information as far as is possible about conditions in your area, the country and those countries off our shores. You should stay tuned to this frequency until further notice and we will give you information about the times of broadcasts so that you are able to preserve your batteries. We will bring you information when we have it. We will now broadcast region by region in order to confirm that you are tuned to the transmitter that will give you the best local information for your locality. This is the Wartime Broadcasting Service.

Once the BBC had gone over to broadcasting as the WTBS it was only a matter of time before war would start.

The following announcement would have been the last radio broadcast many people would have heard.

ANNOUNCEMENTS


AIR ATTACK

1.National Air Attack Warning

(Signal)

This is an air attack warning for the whole country. You should take whatever steps you can to take cover.

This is an air attack warning for the whole country. You should take whatever steps you can to take cover.

(Signal)


3. Selective Warning - Broadcast Nationally. (Nuclear or conventional)

(Signal)

This is an air attack warning for the area covering (County names). If you live in those areas you should take whatever steps you can to take cover.

This is an air attack warning for the area covering (County names). If you live in those areas you should take whatever steps you can to take cover.

(Signal)


Survivors of the nuclear exchange, which may have lasted some weeks, might, if their batteries lasted, have heard the following broadcasts announcing the end of danger of attack.


3. All Clear

(Signal)

We now have information that there is no danger of air attack. We are now returning to normal programmes and it is safe for you to move about freely.

We now have information that there is no danger of air attack. We are now returning to normal programmes and it is safe for you to move about freely.

(Signal)


5. WTBS close and normal service announcement

We are pleased to tell you that the conflict is over. Although it may take some time for us to resume out full normal service we are now stepping down the WTBS and from now on we will bring you programmes of information and entertainment that we hope will help us all resume a normal way of life. Good bye for now. We will reach you again on your radio set on BBC Radios 4 with 3 and Radios 2 with 1.

zero lift


[edit on 3-10-2008 by zero lift]

[edit on 3-10-2008 by zero lift]



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[edit on 3/10/2008 by Badge01]

Originally posted by StevenDye
Actually I though I had seen more on the first read, I guess not.

The first one is

Radioactive fall-out, which followed a nuclear explosion

It should read as "which follows, not followed"

The second one is

see it or fell it

which should read as "see it or feel it"

The third I am unsure on...

two hours' time

Does it need the ' ? Though that could simply be bad grammar on my behalf.

Simple mistakes I know, but they seem incredibly careless for something so important...

[edit on 3-10-2008 by StevenDye]

I'm under the impression that this is to be read out which would make your third point a moot one; a possessive apostrophe wouldn't make a difference in this instance.

Generally though, whilst it may trouble 'Angry of Tunbridge Wells', I think, post-Nuclear strike, even the most stereotypically British of us aren't going to be quibbling over spelling and 'errors of agreement'.

[edit on 3-10-2008 by Merriman Weir]

Don`t mean to be a scare mongerer but i have recently read this report.

www.guardian.co.uk...

The terrorist threat level is officially set at "severe", meaning that an attack is highly likely. Officials describe the threat as "the severe end of severe".

"people are looking at the UK in particular".

Originally posted by tracey ace


Don`t mean to be a scare mongerer but i have recently read this report.

www.guardian.co.uk...

The terrorist threat level is officially set at "severe", meaning that an attack is highly likely. Officials describe the threat as "the severe end of severe".

"people are looking at the UK in particular".

I've often wondered about large scale attacks by terrorists. I was actually in Manchester the day the IRA made a bit of a mess in 1996, which maybe why it's never that far from my mind. However, for various reasons, terrorist threat these days is practically synonymous with radical Islamic terrorists rather than the IRA. Whether it's an accurate assumption is another debate, but that's certainly the way the government and the media play it.

However, living where I live amongst a predominantly Muslim area and only a couple of miles from a very heavily populated Muslim area where there were bad race riots a few years ago, I wonder about how genuinely indiscriminate some of these terrorists would be prepared to be. The larger the threat (be it bomb, biochemical or whatever) the less chance you have to pinpoint a target and discriminate between large populations of Muslims and non-Muslims.

I'm aware that there's been Muslims caught up in some of the previous terrorist attacks but I think larger attacks with larger Muslim fatalities would reach a tipping point where even amongst the Muslim world, support for such action would implode. I'm aware of role of the martyr in jihad, but I'm not so sure about unwilling martyrs and how the murder of Muslim innocents would be seen by unrelated non-UK Muslims.

Originally posted by stumason
reply to post by StevenDye

 

*snip*

If you got freaked out by that after a nuclear attack, then you've got funny priorities, chap!! To me, the fact that anyone is still living in central London and there is a, somewhat, functioning Government would be some security. At least it would offer the hope that seeing as the Government survived, that probably means we got a few nukes back at whoever got us!

Unfortunately, the WTBS wouldn't be broadcasting from London, and neither would the Central Government still be there, for the very sensible reason that it would not be a good place to be in a nuclear attack on the UK. According to Joint Intelligence Committee estimates, London would have been on the receiving end of 8 x 1MT missile delivered airbursts and 2 x 500KT aircraft delivered airbursts. )

The broadcasts would have been transmitted on various local radio frequencies by announcers stationed in Regional Government Headquarters (RGHQ), located in protected accommodation across the UK.

Any wartime broadcasts by Central Government, who would have by then dispersed in small groups to highly classified protected accommodation (not, as is often thought, the BURLINGTON bunker), would have been made via radio link to the nearest RGHQ, or by recorded cassette couried to the nearest RGHQ.

Unfortunately, if the country had been subject to a full nuclear exchange, then there wouldn't have been a lot of listeners anyway.



zero lift

my old school science teacher said we should line the walls \ ceiling \ windows etc with tin foil as it will stop microwaves from entering the room and cooking us to death...made sence to me when i was 12 ...

The BBC released the 4 minute warning a while ago, this is just a similar thing, its not a subconscious training thing, that is just ludicrous. Governments have information for the public on what to do in event of nuclear attacks and what not, its is and has been in the public domain for some time. Chances are this is being released cause its horribly out of date.

It's utter BS. In a case of nuclear attack, most of UK would be destroyed.

Also, the broadcasting apparatus would be destroyed, as most TVs and radios because of the EMP blast...

Originally posted by 44soulslayer
Or they are trying to fly under the radar and disseminate information about what to do without overtly briefing people of the threat.

We all know the danger of nuclear warfare has increased substantially within the past 12 months. Hell, if Georgia had been part of NATO, we wouldn't be sitting here talking right now...

I think this is a subtle and rather clever way of subconsciously training people in what to do without raising panic.

Actually, all that happened is that I made a FOIA request to the Home Office a couple of months ago, for the declassification and release of this particular HO file.

This was done and a hard copy was sent. Yay!

And then yesterday, to my surprise, the file's contents were plastered all over the media.

I would imagine that when the Home Office informed the National Archive (TNA) that they could make the file available for public viewing, TNA saw an opportunity for publicity (and the chance to make a bit of money by selling the file online )

And the rest is history.


No conspiracy I'm afraid.


zero lift