Nevil Shute Norway Foundation

Flying Summary: ON THE BEACH

TITLE ON THE BEACH Remarks
Published: 1957  
Setting: Late 20th century  
Story: World War 3, triggered by an Arab country misleading the major powers into assuming that they were attacking each other, has resulted in a nuclear holocaust causing the spread of deadly fall-out to permeate throughout the northern and then the southern hemisphere. A US submarine takes refuge in Australia and investigates if any life remains anywhere; it fruitlessly returns to share the fateful last months of mankind  
Locations: Sydney Australia
(All locations further N affected by radiation)
Seattle (confirmatory visit by USS Scorpion)
 
Main Characters: Lt Cdr Peter Holmes, RAN liaison officer
Mary Holmes, his wife
Cdr Towers, USN, captain of the USS Scorpion
Moira Davidson, a lonely lady
John Osborne, an Australian Scientist
 
Flying Episodes: All background is recent, fictitious, history  
Aircraft: Russian long-range bombers IL 626s
(flown by Egyptian pilots)
Massive knee-jerk response by US & UK
 
Flying Characters: Egyptian pilots triggering knee-jerk responses of West v East with China joining in.  
Aviation Location(s): See below  
Aviation Activities Albania bombed Naples
Bomb on Tel Aviv
Egyptians bombed Washington & London
US & UK bombed Leningrad, Odessa and Russian nuclear establishments
China made nuclear attack on Russia
 
Additional Comments: A frightening forecast that, to this day, still forewarns of a Doomsday scenario.