These mines were intended to be placed on the North German Plain and detonated by wire or an eight-day timer[1] in the event of Soviet invasion from the east.
Due to its large steel casing, it had to be tested outdoors in a flooded gravel pit near Sevenoaks in Kent.
Once armed, Blue Peacock would detonate ten seconds after being moved, if the casing lost pressure, or if it was filled with water.
[citation needed] In July 1957 the British Army ordered ten Blue Peacocks for use in Germany, under the cover story that they were atomic power units for troops in the field.
It was judged that the risks posed by the nuclear fallout and the political aspects of preparing for destruction and contamination of allied territory were too high to justify.