The British Nuclear Test Veteran: Radiation, Activism, and the Soldier’s Body, 1952 - 2002

Abstract

This thesis explores the experiences of British servicemen who served at nuclear testing sites in the South Pacific and Australia during Britain’s nuclear testing programme. It examines how the perception of radiation exposure shaped the development of a distinct community of British nuclear test veterans during the second half of the twentieth century. This thesis argues that British nuclear test veterans have faced considerable adversity as a result of their service, through later ill health and psychological trauma. This trauma has been exacerbated by veterans’ treatment by the British government, who have consistently blocked their legal and political attempts to gain compensation for the health consequences of perceived radiation exposure. In joining together to form a community in the 1980s under the banner of the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association, these men and their families have highlighted the continuing legacy of Britain’s Cold War operation decisions. But their use of narratives of personal suffering to further their political aims also reveals a story of resilience, and serves as a reminder of the authority of personal experience. In tracing the history of this unique community, therefore, this thesis addresses the ongoing legacy of British nuclear testing and military service, and makes an important contribution to the social history of Britain’s nuclear weapons programme and British military culture.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Kendrick Oliver: orcid.org/0000-0003-1603-1154

ORCID for Charlotte Riley: orcid.org/0000-0003-4901-6073

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