Britain at Sea

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Factual: History

Admiral Lord West tells the story of the Royal Navy during the 20th century.

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Britain at Sea: 12. Sky, Surf and Undersea

Sky, Surf and Undersea

12. Sky, Surf and Undersea

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Britain at Sea, 12. Sky, Surf and Undersea

Lord West tells the story of the Royal Navy's nuclear submarines, and their wider impact.

Admiral Lord West’s history of the Royal Navy in the 20th century: nuclear submarines and the nuclear deterrent. From 2014.

Lord West tells the story of how the Royal Navy lost its aircraft carriers but gained the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent.

The 1960s were a time of intense inter-service rivalry. 

The RAF and the Royal Navy exchanged blows in the corridors of Whitehall - and by the end of the decade the Royal Navy had lost its replacement aircraft carriers but been given responsibility for the future of the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent.

Onboard one of the Navy's Trident submarines, Lord West hears how the coming of nuclear propulsion and nuclear power changed the shape of the Navy. 

And on his first visit to Faslane Peace Camp, he hears of the major impact the coming of nuclear technology had on Scottish public life.

Producer: Giles Edwards

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2014.

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Britain at Sea

12. Sky, Surf and Undersea

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