Nuclear veterans who participated in dangerous missions amidst radioactive fallout in the Pacific will receive recognition through the award of a new medal.
The Royal Air Force and Royal Fleet Auxiliary are set to honor hundreds of veterans who were involved in monitoring and documenting significant nuclear explosions by France and China in the Pacific. These veterans were previously excluded from receiving the nuclear test medal due to stricter guidelines set by the previous government.
Defense Secretary John Healey expressed gratitude towards the nuclear test veterans, acknowledging their role in establishing the UK’s security and liberties. The introduction of the nuclear test medal in 2023, after a Mirror campaign, has seen nearly 6,000 medals presented to British bomb test veterans in Australia and Christmas Island.
The scope of eligibility for the medal has been expanded to include civilian crews from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary who observed explosions at sea, as well as RAF crews engaged in intelligence-gathering activities during French tests until 1974 and Chinese tests until 1980.
Many veterans have reported health issues such as cancer, while subsequent generations have faced birth defects allegedly linked to radiation exposure. John Cammish, a former ground crew chief, passed away in 2020 due to cancer related to radiation exposure during his service.
The move to extend the Medal for Heroes to more nuclear veterans fulfills a commitment made by the Labour party. However, some veterans have declined to accept the medal, arguing that certain criteria still exclude their comrades who were also exposed to radiation while maintaining contaminated aircraft.
The Mirror continues to advocate for justice for victims of the Nuked Blood Scandal, uncovering hidden blood tests from national security archives that implicate nuclear veterans in radiation experiments. Campaigners are pushing for a comprehensive government study to include the health impacts of foreign nuclear tests on veterans.
To apply for the medal, interested individuals can visit the official government website.
