Staying safe in a dangerous time

Madam, – During the 1970s the Cold War brought us intimidation, threat and rumour.

But the threat was real and it was the threat of nuclear attack.

It seemed far removed from rural Perthshire.

But close to Bankfoot, and in other places throughout the country, a secret bunker existed.

It was about 30 feet underground and held sensitive instruments capable of registering the intensity of nuclear fallout in the event of an attack on a major city of military installation.

At that time I became a member of the Royal Observer Corps.

I was one of a very few from Bankfoot and our uniform was the old former RAF dress.

We met every so often in the what had been the Masons’ Hall but we entered our underground bunker and familiarised ourselves with the instruments.

I remember there being only one light, and it was so cold.

Villagers in Bankfoot did not know of us or where the bunker was.

But if the worst case scenario had occurred and our instruments had registered it to be a dangerous event, then a loud klaxon would have sounded out over Bankfoot and, if needs be, the village would have been evacuated.

Indeed, all over the country the Observer Corps was on the front line.

Being in that position I must disagree with the SNP policy of getting rid of our nuclear deterrent if Scotland becomes independent.

We still live in a very dangerous and unpredictable world. Thomas A Brown. 18 Garry Place, Bankfoot.