Today, in a ceremony at the Masonic Halls in Chesterfield attended by Lee Rowley MP, Derbyshire nuclear veterans were presented with the Nuclear Test Medal by the Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Mrs. Elizabeth Fothergill.
During the 1950's, the servicemen had been based in the Pacific on areas such as Christmas Island at a time when the UK was carrying out nuclear tests in the region, known as Operation Grapple. At the time, there was little, if any, protective clothing available for the serviceman based at Christmas Island who witnessed these tests and many suffered ill health as a result of this.
Lee Rowley, Member of Parliament for North East Derbyshire, first became involved in this issue back in 2018 when he met a constituent who had been involved in these tests. Following a four year long campaign by Lee and other Parliamentarians, it was confirmed in November 2022, 70 years after the first British test of a nuclear weapon, that veterans of these tests would receive the recognition they deserve in the form of the Nuclear Test Medal.
Commenting on the event, Lee stated:
"It was a huge privilege to be part of the ceremony to acknowledge the service of local veterans who took part in Operation Grapple in the 1950s."
"Over several years, over 10,000 men served in the Pacific supporting the early tests of atomic weapons to ensure that Britain had such an independent capability. It was a difficult posting and the men involved were often exposed to radiation as a result, so it is only right that we recognise their service to our country and security."
"I first became involved in this campaign in 2018 when I met nuclear test veteran John and his wife who live in New Whittington. John and his wife were so kind to spend some time with me talking about his experiences whilst serving on Grapple. It took some time but it was extremely good news when the Government agreed to acknowledge their service by awarding a medal and, today, was the icing on the cake. A huge thank you to all of the veterans for their service."
"And a big thank you to everyone who was involved in organising the event - the Masonic Hall who hosted, the Lord Lieutenant who represented the crown and to John's daughter Denise who did so much. The event would just not have been possible without her!"
You can find more information on Operation Grapple here.
