Cold War memories

I hope you will allow me a few column inches to comment on the most informative article from Jack Simpson (SA, February 1).

Not since the 1970s have we been in more danger from what is the absolutely unthinkable.

No, we don't have to worry too much about a direct nuclear attack on Swindon, as we'd all be dead, within seconds.

However, a much more likely attack on Bristol, for example, would sadly cause much more suffering to the people of Swindon, as detailed in Jack's piece.

As a teenager in the 1970's, I didn't want to join the armed forces because, basically, I wasn't brave enough.

However, I did want to defend our country, in the event of attack, so I enlisted in the Royal Observer Corps from 1973-75. The ROC was a group of civilians who manned bunkers across the country during the Cold War, in case of nuclear attack.

We knew that, in the event of an attack, our family and friends would be gone in a very short space of time.

We also knew that, even if we made it to the bunker in time, we would only have days to live but that we would, hopefully, have long enough to supply the authorities with invaluable information.

I was privileged to serve at Cuckfield Post, near Haywards Heath under Chief Observer, Derek Wood.

Derek was aviation correspondent of the Sunday Telegraph and had written The Narrow Margin, regarded as the definitive history of the Battle of Britain, and was an adviser on the set of the film of the same name.

At the time, he was also writing Attack Warning Red, a history of the ROC, first published in 1976.

He was, undoubtedly, "posh", but he was a gentleman who treated everyone as equals - be they a brickie (his no. 2 at the Post), an AA man (who gave me a lift each week) or a spotty student (guess who?).

Due to technological advances and spending cuts, the ROC was stood down in the early 1990's and most bunkers fell into disrepair.

However, I am pleased to say that due to two young men, Ed and Mark (both born long after I served), Cuckfield Post has been fully restored by them and they open it to the public on selected weekends (Covid restrictions permitting)!

Steve Cowdry

Saddleback Road

Shaw