Diss Museum has a display on measures taken in the town in the 1980s to cope with the after effects of a nuclear attack. With high international tensions at that time there was a fear of a third world war.

Diss Museum has a display on measures taken in the town in the 1980s to cope with the after effects of a nuclear attack. With high international tensions at that time there was a fear of a third world war. Diss would not have been wiped out in the event of a nuclear attack some distance away and action could be taken to reduce suffering.

Diss parish was divided into five areas - one for The Heywood and four in the town. Doug Bartlett was appointed controller for the area. The community controllers for each of the five areas were required to identify suitable control posts, prepare contingency plans for fire fighting, life saving, first aid and shelter. The folk of Diss were told to be alert for a “red warning” which meant an air raid was imminent and a “black warning,” which meant radioactive fallout was approaching.

Nonetheless the risk of mass casualties was considerable and the local authority identified sites for mass burials and mortuaries.

This and other material can be viewed in Diss Museum in the Market Place until it closes for the winter break at the end of November. The museum is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 4pm and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. Admission is free.