Atom bomb servicemen blast MOD on court ruling

Judges in the Civil Court of Appeal ruled that damage claims were made too late, except one by a widow who brought her case in time and will proceed to a full hearing.

It was ruled that even if other claimants were able to show they had been exposed to radiation as a result of negligence, their chances of proving their health was damaged by the tests were “extremely poor”.

Bexhill veterans have reacted by saying they are “not surprised”.

Malcolm Pike, 75, commented: “I didn’t expect the Ministry of Defence to consent to anything.

“I think the MOD is a load of crooks, a load of rats – you name it.

“You could call it the Ministry of Deceit.”

He understands the veterans’ lawyers will take stock before deciding whether to contest the ruling or even take the case to the Supreme Court of Appeal, but concluded: “It seems we are chasing our tail at the moment.”

Malcolm, of Grange Court Drive, was on HMS Warrior in 1957 when atomic bomb tests were held at Malden Island in the Pacific.

Also on that aircraft carrier was George Baulch, now 77, who lives in Brookfield Road. Like Malcolm, he left the Royal Navy with no thought of health worries for the future and it was not until the years rolled by he began to connect his own suffering and that of his daughters with what had happened in the past and the possible impact of the tests.

He made contact with other veterans and they began comparing notes on a range of conditions from skin cancer and lack of breath to the inability to conceive.

George is concerned most however by the health problems he fears he might have passed on to his two daughters. Tina was born with learning disabilites and died suddenly seven years ago at the age of 32 while at work in Sainsbury’s. Pamela, who is now 50, has Myotonic Dystrophy, which is a muscle wasting disease. She recently had her eyelids sewn open because she has not the strength to lift them herself.

George admitted: “It is hard for us to verify. How do we prove it? It is such a big thing, I don’t think we will ever be able to prove this.

“My basic feeling is that the the MOD is really waiting for us to die, quite honestly. Other countries have sorted out this situation but we don’t seem to have done anything in this country.

“As time has gone on we have had to come to the conclusion it is a fruitless exercise anyway.

“I am 77 years old now... whatever happens now would not do me any good really, but I am thinking more in terms of my surviving daughter, Pamela - and she is suffering.”