Nuclear Tests

Deborah McGurran
for the Politics Show East

Eric Everard was serving in the RAF on Christmas Island during nuclear tests in 1958 and believes the death of his son was linked to his own exposure to radiation.

Daren, Eric's son, was only 22-years-old when he died.

Now, veterans like Eric have won their battle for a parliamentary inquiry into the events of the Christmas Island tests.

That inquiry begins next week.

They fear their health, and that of their children, could have been affected by the tests.

Britain conducted 21 atmospheric tests on Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean between 1952 and 1958.

The effects of that (day) were that I was 20 miles away when they detonated the bomb and the whole of my back was a blister afterwards. There was no protective clothing, we didn't go in bunkers or anything. We just stood on the beach Eric Everard

Thousands of people there witnessed the testing of atomic bombs.

John Baron, Conservative MP for Billericay, working with Labour's Norwich MP, Dr Ian Gibson, has launched a Parliamentary Inquiry into the medical effects on veterans who took part in Britain's nuclear tests during the 1950s.

Eric Everard, who is 69-years-old now and lives in Wickford in Essex, spent 10 months on the island in 1958 where he was a driver in the Royal Air Force.

He witnessed five tests.

NUCLEAR TESTS UK tested nuclear bombs in Australia between 1952 and 1957 The first British hydrogen bomb was detonated by Britain over Christmas Island, in the Pacific Ocean, in 1957 Testing there continued until 1958 British testing ended in 1963 when many countries including UK, USA and Soviet Union signed a nuclear test ban treaty

Eric believes the effects of the radiation to which he was exposed were passed on to his son, Darran, who died of a genetic connective tissue disease.

Mr Everard said "I have known this for nearly 17 years and I have been harping on about it for 17 years and they still don't take any notice. But I shall keep bashing on about it for another 17 years... hopefully we'll get somewhere.

"The effects of that (day) were that I was 20 miles away when they detonated it and the whole of my back was a blister afterwards. There was no protective clothing, we didn't go in bunkers or anything. We just stood on the beach."

Proof needed

Truth and justice is what we want John Baron MP

Announcing the new inquiry, John Baron said it was necessary to prove whether servicemen have medically suffered as a result of being present at the tests.

He said "Truth and justice is what we want.

"This inquiry will be calling on independent experts to present their new research which will be collected in a report for parliament. We will also be looking at whether servicemen's offspring have been affected.

"I hope we can also secure a debate in parliament on the issue."

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