The British Nuclear Test Veterans Association

British Nuclear Test Veterans Association

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The Facts

Between 1952 and 1967 the United Kingdom carried out a number of atmospheric tests of nuclear weapons in the Pacific Ocean and at Maralinga, Australia, involving over 20,000 servicemen. Among these tests were the “Grapple Y” and “Grapple Z” series of six detonations at Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean (November 1957–September 1958), of weapons many times more powerful than those discharged at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The 'mushroom' cloud over Christmas Island. 1958
Christmas Island megaton test
  • Of 2,500 men surveyed in 1999 30% of the men had died, mostly in their fifties.
  • In their grandchildren spina bifida rates are more than 5 times the usual rate for live births in the UK.
  • More than 200 skeletal abnormalities were reported.
  • More than 100 veterans children reported reproductive difficulties.
 

The BNTVA is the organisation which deals with all nuclear test veterans and their families.
You can visit the BNTVA Blog by following this link

 



This site is dedicated to the memory of J.C. (Ian) Jenner who served on Christmas Island in 1958

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