# How the Brits prepared for end of the world.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 23, 2009, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700 "2009-06-23T10:05:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/1 "2009-06-23T10:05:47Z")
…during [cold war.](http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8110000/8110678.stm) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/2 "2009-06-23T10:14:11Z")
While this is an interesting read, it clearly omits a number of areas that would almost certainly have been at the core of the british plan for coping with nuclear holocaust. For instance, not once does he mention putting the kettle on. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/3 "2009-06-23T11:01:22Z")
The Government’s plans for such catastrophes usually involved hiding themselves in bunkers :eek: and leaving the rest of us with advice like: “If an atomic bomb goes off over your city, draw the blinds and shelter under the kitchen table.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/4 "2009-06-23T11:28:38Z")
I thought Brits prepared for everything by stopping down to the pub to have a few pints. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/5 "2009-06-23T12:36:00Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > I thought Brits prepared for everything by stopping down to the pub to have a few pints. Ford: Six pints of bitter. And quickly, please – the world’s about to end. Barkeep: Oh yes, sir? Nice weather for it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/6 "2009-06-24T00:55:38Z")
A different group of Brits prepares. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-hJQ18S6aag/hqdefault.jpg "Will this wind...?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hJQ18S6aag) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/7 "2009-06-24T01:06:58Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > A different group of Brits prepares. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hJQ18S6aag](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hJQ18S6aag) I’ve always loved that bit. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/8 "2009-06-24T01:07:35Z")
Ditto. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GQ0gSbcG1FI/hqdefault.jpg "Shaun of the Dead Dont Stop Me Now") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ0gSbcG1FI) ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/9 "2009-06-24T01:11:35Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > I thought Brits prepared for everything by stopping down to the pub to have a few pints. And then lying down with a paper bag over your head, of course. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/10 "2009-06-24T03:11:07Z")
“Ausin!” said his master. “Yes, sir?” “I thank you for your faithful service.” A smile stole over the servan’t gnarled face. “I’ve done my duty, sir.” “I’m expecting the end of the world today, Austin.” “Yes, sir. What time, sir?” “I can’t say, Austin. Before evening.” “Very good, sir.” The taciturn Austin saluted and withdrew. Challenger lit a cigarette, and, drawing his chair closer to his wife’s, he took her hand in his. … _The Poison Belt_ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1913) … ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/11 "2009-06-28T15:59:01Z")
_“The best defense against the atom bomb is not to be there when it goes off.”_ British government pamphlet c1965 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/12 "2009-06-28T17:58:04Z")
> [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](#): > > _“The best defense against the atom bomb is not to be there when it goes off.”_ > > British government pamphlet c1965 Well, you can’t deny that that would _work_… ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/13 "2009-06-29T14:20:05Z")
> [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](#): > > _“The best defense against the atom bomb is not to be there when it goes off.”_ > > British government pamphlet c1965 > [@Sunspace](#): > > Well, you can’t deny that that would _work_… Which is why the UK had elaborate plans drawn up to relocate the island of Great Britain in the event of nuclear war. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/14 "2009-06-29T15:18:41Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Which is why the UK had elaborate plans drawn up to relocate the island of Great Britain in the event of nuclear war. They planned to hide near New Zealand. They reasoned nobody would notice a new garter belt, or if they did they would be delicate enough to pretend not to. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/15 "2009-06-29T15:49:51Z")
Moving to NZ, leaving Belfast to be smashed and occupied (which happened in the 2000AD comic book series IIRC.) There was a nuclear bunker of some sort in NI, now a bit of a relic. RAF Aldergrove, once used as a dispersal base for V-bombers when they represented the UK’s nuclear deterrent, in the present day only handles helicopters and the odd C-130. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-brits-prepared-for-end-of-the-world/500700/16 "2009-06-29T16:24:19Z")
Interesting article. Now, perhaps you’d like to bid on the Prime Minister’s bunker? [The Times & The Sunday Times: breaking news & today's latest headlines](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article584503.ece) This might also be of interest: [Nuclear weapons of the United Kingdom - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_and_the_United_Kingdom) The section on “Nuclear weapons control” discusses the letters which each PM wrote for the captains of the Royal Navy’s ballistic-missile subs.