EYE OPENING NUCLEAR TESTING OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS

Number 6 - Burying radiation exposure information in servicemen's records.

This is number 6 of a 15 part blog series, created by Mr Roy Sefton, Chair of the New Zealand Nuclear Test Veterans Association.

British governments, and those of the Commonwealth, have gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid any hint that the servicemen who served at the British Nuclear Weapons Testing Programme, suffered any adverse health conditions due to radiation exposure.

British servicemen have a section in their records where certain radio-logical duties and/or radiation exposure are recorded. There is no such section in the records of the NZ personnel.

The document, reproduced in part below, shows that there was concern that servicemen involved in the nuclear tests may make pension claims for radiation related illnesses using their exposure information to support their claim.

In an attempt to make any notation regarding radiation exposure difficult to find, or overlooked, Para 6. suggests that the exposure notice is not to be found in its usual place but recorded elsewhere in the servicemen's documents.

It is extraordinary the self interested lengths that the British, went to, to avoid any responsibility for the health consequences due to radiation exposure of servicemen, at the same time totally dismissing any concern for the well being of the servicemen.

The burying of radiation exposure information, that may not be found, apart from its relevance to pension claims, could also delay the awareness of health conditions that may result in the death, or serious ill health of the servicemen.

Roy Sefton QSM Chair New Zealand Nuclear Test Veterans Association.