Official Secrets Act

[greenrook]

I signed and was bound by this Act in 1954, as a serving soldier handling 'sensitive' material in Germany, as part of my job. I left the Army several years later, but don't remember any sort of release document, apart from my demob papers. Am I still bound by the Act, and what if I am? No particular reason for this question, just mild curiosity -G-

[VHG]

>>>You are bound for life to adhere to it.

So how come people who were at say Bletchley Park are allowed to talk about what they did there, they must have signed the official secret act (or a wartime equivalent)?.

I have seen programs where people who worked there have talked about what they did.

p.s. I also signed the Official Secrets Act when I joined the GPO in the mid 1960s, aged about 16, on a 5 year apprenticeship.

[DTCwordfan]

A bit salty, Wharton, a bit salty, lol.

[Hopkirk]

Bang goes your pension, Greenrook.

[DTCwordfan]

and the punishment for treason is.......?

[EcclesCake]

VHG, if the Government have declassified a file/project/operation etc then that is their choice and it becomes open for discussion.

It is not the individuals choice to initiate that process though.

[Wharton]

Bang goes Plymouth.

[DTCwordfan]

It nearly did last year apparently, a nuclear cooling ring failing, so not that funny, Babcock Beatty taken apart this week.

They employ a lot of Scots there too.....

[granny grump]

A good question greenrook I was in a similar situation sometime ago as a civilian chief clerk with the REME