The Third World War: August 1985

US planes arriving in some numbers Manchester Airport. Buxford population fear they will attract Soviet attack and 20 per cent have already left. Control Staff at 90 per cent strength. 2300 District warn that enemy are expected to start bombing our airfields at any time.

2400 Electricity failed. Stand-by candles.

Sparksley Green

1200 Still on reporting watch only with Controller and two Communications Officers — no equipment. Approx half population seem to have left. Armed police are bringing looting under control. Two looters shot, one policeman murdered and two injured. A number of fires which a depleted fire brigade have difficulty in controlling.

2300 Signal that bombing attack expected. District sending two spare Communications Officers with radiac and chemical detectors. Two Emergency Committee members reporting at 1000 tomorrow.

2400 Electricity cut.

Branscombe

0350 Air raid alert.

0415 Sound of A/C overhead. Bombs falling to east and west.

0430 Signal that our airfields under heavy bombardment.

0730 ‘All Clear’ sounded.

1000 Signal received that bombs dropped during night had contained HE, incendiary and nerve gases (tabun, sarin and VX). 1700 Air raid alerts and All Clears have followed each other all day.

Controller directed that no further air raid warnings would be sounded in

the village unless bombs were seen to be dropping or there was threat of a

nuclear attack. Hot meal ordered for all at 1830. 1930 US transport A/C flew over Parish at 2,000 metres on fire — parachutes emerging as A/C flies off west. Reported to District.

1935 Enemy A/C flew low across Parish west to east. Reported.

2300 Electricity restored.

Buxford

0350 Air raid warning.

0400 to 0600 Heavy air raid high level A/C — 100+ bombs land Buxford area. Survey team make short recce at 0500 during lull — report much damage and many fires, and chemical detector papers show positive readings. Police, ambulance, fire brigade and rescue squads working in respirators and protective clothing.

0615 All Clear. Survey team report bombs still exploding intermittently — presumably with delayed action fuses. As some contain nerve gas it is agreed with police to re-sound Alert to get everyone under cover while unexploded bombs are dealt with.

0800 Survey report shows approx 1,200 casualties of which 157 are dead.

0900 Two enemy A/C attack airport. No bombs on Buxford. US transport

planes continue to come in in spite of bombing.

1006 One US and one Soviet A/C come down in flames over Buxford. Both crash to south.

1138 Five A/C attack airport- 50+ bombs on Buxford including nerve gas.

1400 District Controller agrees all civilians except key personnel be evacuated. Control Staff to stay.

Sparksley Green

0550 Air raid warning.

0600 A/C overhead, bombs falling and exploding to east. None in our area. Reported.

0615 All Clear.

0700 District advise water will be cut off at 1200. Police agree to tour area with car loud-hailers to advise householders to fill baths and containers before 1200 and to use plastic bags etc for toilet purposes.

1500 Police are withdrawn. Looting and fire-raising starts again. Three murders in streets and some inter-racial fighting. All food shops run out or looted. Communal meals supplied by District at school. Less than 25 per cent of population remain.

7 August

Branscombe

1200 Much A/C activity all morning. Villagers and refugees continue to work on farms and at allotted tasks.

1341 Electricity fails. District advises water will be cut off at 1600. Emergency water and hygiene plans activated.

1400 At BREMCO Conference with Parish Council a reserve Controller and four Committee members chosen to replace existing BREMCO team should they become casualties. The Parsonage House chosen as an alternative Control HQ if Holt House destroyed. Directed that second copies of Emergency Diary and Financial Records be kept there.

Buxford

1000 No air raids for 20 hours; area declared clear of bombs and contamination. Buxford Controller suffered nervous breakdown — his 70th birthday. Cncllr Deschet appointed as new Controller.

1115 Gang of four armed youths reported looting liquor warehouse — no police or troops available. Controller with armed posse goes to restore order.

133 °Controller returns with posse and police Inspector, who has charged Controller with murder and malicious wounding. He charges that after the youths had been disarmed in the warehouse the Controller held a summary court martial and sentenced the four youths to death. When he ordered his armed posse to carry out sentence and shoot the boys they refused, whereupon he took one of the guns himself and opened fire, killing one and wounding three. At this point the Inspector arrived. Chairman of Buxford Council arrives, relieves Cncllr Deschet of his appointment and replaces him with Cncllr Burt-Rand.

Sparksley Green