This is a map showing likely nuclear strike targets in the UK in the 60s and 70s.
The extreme south westerly target is Newquay, where I spent my childhood. From there I went to college and to work in London and after I married we moved to Medway. That's the extreme south east target.
Funnily enough my generation never worried about nuclear war. Nukes had always existed to us and were a short of abstract threat, like the sun going out.
Medway is now a University town offering postgrad degrees in engineering subjects. The colleges are located on what was the naval base.
A Russian mature student was fiddling with a GPS at the Uny when he exclaimed in delight to see the coordinates. Apparently he used to feed targets into the Soviet missiles buy never knew where they were.
Now he did.
What a delightfully creepy story!
ReplyDeleteModern horror stories.
DeleteFreaky!
ReplyDeleteIpswich a target? Bit harsh...
ReplyDeleteAir bases. The Russians weren't after Newquay but St Mawgan.
DeleteI grew up in Mid Wales and remember a news story that that the town of Machynlleth was targeted due to the Alternative Technology Centre there, interesting that isn't shown on your map.
ReplyDeleteMillford Haven was the biggy In Wales
DeleteInteresting, sinister post!
ReplyDeleteIt's odd that I lived my whole life on nuclear targets and never cared.
DeleteHmm, I think I've lived under a fair few of those as well (I reckon that's RNAS Yeovilton down in Somerset, then I managed Bristol, Portsmouth and now edge of Sheffield).
ReplyDeleteWhen I worked for Portsmouth City Council, all of our maps of the city before the late 80's had all of the military installations blanked out (including, bizarrely, the likes of Southsea Castle), as if that would be enough to confuse an incoming ICBM! The MoD also had an interesting approach to recording minor information like the location of Asbestos tips, but that's another story...
The GCHQ listening station in North Cornwall isn't on the map. But the huge white golf balls are right on top of the flat cliffs. :)
Deletea spot were it is believed a nuke would blow is in the exact same place were I live now
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