Following on from our previous blog, we have received further information from the archives of Flt lt Joe Pasquini | 76 Sqaudron - Nuclear Cloud Sampler.
Joe was the author of 'Curse of the Nuclear Cloud Flyers - a story to make your blood boil'
The information we have received only adds to the evidence regarding the inadequacies of the film badges worn by personnel which the Ministry of Defence has relied upon for decades to deny War Pensions and claims from the veterans that they were exposed to deadly radiation.
PHYSICAL CONSIDERATIONS AFFECTING FILM BADGES
The report contains details of the effectiveness of film badges and the physical considerations that must be taken into account when determining the accuracy of film badges.
It is reported that a film badge exposes a broad area to the front, but sideways on is a relative knife edge, and clearly the changes of rays impinging are less in the sideways position. By simple experiment that in the lateral position the effect on a film badge is 75% of that which it would be if the badge was presenting its face to a given course.
It was proved that the chest badge did not give a fair approximation of the whole body dose, yet they were still issued to personnel. During the cloud sampling, they placed further badges on the ejector seat, NOT ON THE SERVICEMAN. In addition to these badges, they were given normal chest badges and dosimeters.
The report concludes that film badges offer the simplest and cheapest method of assessment of aircrew dosage during cloud sampling coupled with a very low weight penalty, as opposed to other types of instruments, their accuracy as an indication of whole-body dose may leave much to be desired.
Shielding in an aircraft is considerable and very varied in relation to the three crew positions, hence considerable variation will arise from this factor alone.
Conclusion
The UK Government tested the film badges in actual sampling runs and concluded that they are highly inaccurate and that the use of them to determine a whole body dose may leave much to be desired. Yet they continued to use them and issue them to personnel on the ground.
The MoD relies heavily on these dosimeter readings during War Pension tribunals, often giving an average dose to personnel. This document along with ES 5/148 - 'Report No. T11/57 - OPERATION BUFFALO - The Dose Received at Various Parts of the Body by a Man Walking over Contaminated Ground' by C.F Barnaby on the 8th March 1957 show that the dosimeters are useless, meaningless and highly inaccurate.
Yet, nuclear veterans are being denied War Pensions based on these readings, this can not be allowed to continue and we have written to the Veteran's Minister (Mr Johnny Mercer) and the Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Ben Wallace) again for comment on these findings. (We did not receive a reply from our previous correspondence relating to ES 5/148) We have demanded that Mr Mercer looks into this matter urgently.
The Curse of the Nuclear Cloud Flyers can be purchased on Amazon.