Nuclear attack script published

The National Archives has published the scripts of messages written by the BBC and the government to be used in the event of a Cold War nuclear attack.

The messages, to be read by an 'authoritative' and 'familiar' voice, told people to stay calm, remain indoors, and conserve food and water, according to the newly released archives.

The messages were recorded by the Wartime Broadcasting Service from 1973 and 1975, during the height of the Cold War.

"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," the message started.

The message went on to warn people to stay indoors, turn off fuel supplies, conserve water by not flushing the lavatory excessively and ration food for 14 days.

The transcript offered grave warnings to people if they their homes: "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."

One issue that the now-disbanded Ministry of Ports and Telecommunications felt strongly about was that the messages should be read by a familiar voice from the BBC. Otherwise, listeners might believe that the BBC had been 'obliterated' and this would increase their panic.

In a letter dated from 1974, Harold Greenwood of the Ministry of Ports and Telecommunications wrote: "Indeed, if an unfamiliar voice repeats the same announcement hour after hour for 12 hours, listeners may begin to suspect that they are listening to a machine set to switch on every hour."

Listeners were also warned to turn off their radios after the announcement.

"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."

Other revelations published by the National Archives today revealed a secret military pact that would have let Britain and France assume control of the Suez canal if Israel attacked Egypt.

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk