“Fifty years ago the UK Government began a series of atomic and thermonuclear weapons tests on the Australian mainland, on Christmas Island and elsewhere in the South Pacific. About 25,000 members of the British, Australian and New Zealand Armed Forces, many national servicemen, and some Fijians, took part in the testing programme — either actively or as bystanders. This week nearly 1,000 veterans took their multimillion-pound compensation claim against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to the High Court. They say they have suffered illnesses — including cancers, skin defects and fertility problems — because of exposure to radiation from the tests.”
The Times, 22nd January 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
