British Nuclear Test Veterans Association
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Committee News
Portsmouth Cathedral
Norman Aplin, Portsmouth Branch Treasurer
At 11.30am, on Sunday 16th February 2002 - a fine sunny winter's morning - some 150 people, consisting of veterans, families, friends and supporters of the BNTVA, mustered at The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, in the Royal Naval town of Portsmouth. This is an annual event at this time of year but this year was special. It was the 5Oth Anniversary of the departure of the two ships HMS Narvik and HMS Zeebrugge, sailing for Australia to take part in Britain's first Nuclear Weapons Test. The actual departure was the 19th February 1952 and on board, other than the ships-company of Royal Navy and Royal Marines, was the 71st Field Squadron of the Royal Engineers. The planned date of sailing was set for the 6th February 1952 but the death of King George VI on that day delayed departure. The task of these servicemen was to prepare, witness and clean up, before during and after the testing of the atom bomb - code-named 'Operation Hurricane'. The testing took place at Monte Bello Islands, off the North West Coast of Australia on 3rd October 1952.
Through our Newsletter, the BNTVA Chairman, Peter Fletcher, had requested a good turn out at the Cathedral. It was not only to remember those who had paved the way to the test sites and all the thousands of men who innocently but dutifully followed but also, specifically, to re-unite those remaining men of the Royal Navy and Army who sailed on those two ships.
The BNTVA Chaplain, The Rev Canon Nicholas Frayling and the Very Rev William Taylor, Dean of Portsmouth, both officiated at the Service, the Dean giving the address. It highlighted the scientific and ministerial concerns expressed before the tests regarding the effects of radiation upon servicemen, which the then and subsequent Governments, have chosen to ignore. He told the congregation he was proud to be associated with the BNTVA campaign, which he said, was based on justice and in the Christian tradition justice is close to righteousness.
As usual, the Service was in two parts and the second part took place at our Memorial Stone and Seat in the Cathedral's Garden of Remembrance. This is a small garden in the coldest part of the Cathedral's grounds, with barely enough room for the congregation, the four Standard Bearers and those with wreaths, in attendance. However, in a way the closeness of everyone was warming and it enhanced the matter in hand because this is always a moving ceremony and was proceeded by a lone piper playing a lament. The traditional Service of Remembrance, with the Last Post and the moments of silence, is to enable those present to remember their loved ones and comrades who have suffered and died because of their involvement in the Nuclear Weapons Test Programme.
Wreaths were then laid by Peter Fletcher MBE on behalf of the BNTVA, Ken Gower on behalf of HMS Narvik, Don Maiden on behalf of HMS Zeebrugge, Ex Sapper Frank Connery on behalf of the RE's onboard HMS Zeebrugge, Alf Hollis on behalf of the all the other Royal Engineers and Betty Dannatt, Portsmouth Branch Treasurer, on behalf of the widows. Betty's husband died in 1979 aged 63! Other wreaths included one from the Aborigines and the South Sea Islanders which was laid by the Portsmouth MIP Mike Hancock and Mike's wife laid one on behalf of the Children of the World. Other private wreaths were then laid.
After warming refreshments, served in the Cathedral Rooms, where old and new friends gathered, a more light-hearted gathering took place at the Royal Navy Home Club where group photographs were taken. Some of our members had travelled from all corners of Britain and it was pleasing to greet them.
On behalf of us all, I would like thank and congratulate our Branch Representative, Les Gosling, for all his hard work in making this a never to be forgotten day.
Address given by the Very Reverend William
Taylor, Dean of
Portsmouth
Saturday 16th February 2002
It gives me both pleasure and sadness to welcome the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association here today. Pleasure because it's very important that Portsmouth continues to play its part in welcoming the BNTVA. We commemorate this year the sailing of the fleet 50 years ago to Australia and. Christmas Island. Sadness, because 50 years on the justice which you seek has so clearly not yet been brought about.
50 years ago, and during the following six years, 26000 British servicemen participated in a series of nuclear tests at Monte Bello, Christmas Island, Emu Field and Maralinga, Australia. More than 14000 men directly witnessed the explosions.
In 1951, the Ministry of Defence stated, in a secret memorandum, that it needed to test the impact of
radiation on human beings. The Director of Trials Planning at the Admiralty wrote:
"Ill effects may be long delayed. With any claims for compensation I feel that some formula
might be accepted by Ministries which would dispose any tribunal in favour of a .... Claimant"
. Sir William Penny stated that there was a need for "Adequate insurance for participating
personnel, especially against radioactive hazards, without undue disclosure to insurance
companies
". Those highly damaging revelations are now a matter of public record. Yet in 1990 the then
Health Minister told the house of Commons, in a debate on a Private Members Bill, that:
"There is no evidence, either medical or scientific, to link participation in the nuclear tests
programme and ill health which some of the participants have subsequently suffered
"
The BNTVA caine into being to bring these matters to public attention, to press for recognition of a national debt of honour, and urge the payment of fair and consistent pensions. The Association is certain, backed by personal experience, that there is a clear link between radiation fallout and the wide range of sicknesses which have developed amongst its members who witnessed those explosions.
This is the reason for the existence of the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association, and the campaign for justice for the victims of long delayed ill effects of which that 1951 memorandum spoke. I am proud to be associated with your campaign, and glad that you are in this Cathedral today. May you take comfort from being in this building - a place where 'prayer has been valid' for over 800 years. Your campaign is based on justice, and in the Christian tradition justice is close to righteousness. May God hear the prayers of the righteous: may those in authority be enabled to hear the voices raised for righteousness.
And may God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit bless us all. Amen.