The Museum The ideological conflict between the USSR and the West, after the explosion at Hiroshima & Nagasaki, over the next 40 years, remained as a stand-off, never reaching the point of outright war. 'Real' fighting was confined to localized wars where the interests of East & west clashed, such as those in Korea and Vietnam. This 'Cold War' governed arms development during that period.
Britain gave up her empire and settled for the role of 'most valued ally' to the new protector of world freedom, the USA. No longer was the Royal Navy the world's most powerful sea force. Through the 20th century, airborne warfare became increasingly significant. Large warships grew increasingly vulnerable to submarines, aircraft and missiles.
From the 1960s, guided missiles replaced big guns as the navy's main weapons. In 1964 a repair facility for missiles opened at nearby Elson. This culminated nine years later in the Integrated Weapons Complex still existing today. Here missiles like Sea Slug, Sidewinder and Exocet were prepared for the Falklands and Gulf Wars.
As the need for naval guns disappeared and explosives regulations tightened, Priddy's Hard became uneconomic to run as is was, and the site was too small for expansion. The last train left the depot in 1986 and the gates closed for the final time in 1989.
