Originally Posted by
tornadoken
[MF >1969: P.554 has Defence Minister Healey, 3/7/69: "it is no longer necessary to keep a/c of the V-bomber force at immediate readiness".
This was of course almost a year after the V-bomber force had stood down from immediate readiness. It is worth noting however that there was a partial generation in late July or early August 1968. We never knew why but a partial generation, some 16-20 aircraft IIRC, supported the rumour that the bomber on patrol had either lost comms or was otherwise u/s.
There was, I believe, a further operational generation in late 1969 after Dennis Healey's announcement.
Interestingly DH said in
The Human Button that he would never have given the order to retalliate. James Callaghan had no such reservations but did say he would not have been able to live with himself.