RAF pilot’s secret nuclear tests before he died of cancer

An RAF pilot flew through atomic clouds 48 times without protection during secret British nuclear tests in the Cold War.

Squadron Leader John Harrison-Broadley died of cancer believed to have been linked to being exposed to deadly radiation during the controversial testing in Western Australia in the 1950s.

Wearing just a shirt and shorts and a pair of sunglasses for protection, he flew a Vickers Varsity plane through atomic dust nearly 50 times over five years to monitor the effects of the nuclear blasts.

John Harrison-Broadley in Western Australia when he arrived for nuclear testing in 1956

He nonchalantly described the missions as 'radiological survey' or 'atomic cloud tracking' in his RAF log book after each flight

He nonchalantly described the missions as ‘radiological survey’ or ‘atomic cloud tracking’ in his RAF log book after each flight

He nonchalantly described the missions as ‘radiological survey’ or ‘atomic cloud tracking’ in his RAF log book after each flight.

Sq Ldr Harrison-Broadley, a Second World War hero who spent fours years as a PoW, was one of around 21,000 British servicemen involved in the A-bomb testing in Western Australia and the South Pacific.

The men had little to protect themselves from the radiation. In many cases they wore just khaki desert clothing and flip-flops and were told to turn their backs on the thermal blasts.

Many veterans later contracted cancer thought to be related to the radiation exposure. Studies have also shown those involved passed on the effects of radiation poisoning to their children.

There are thought to be around 3,000 of the servicemen alive today but the British Nuclear Test Veterans’ Association (BNTVA) believe some 160,000 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren could be affected.

Despite years of campaigning, the UK government has never admitted liability or accepted it put the men at risk and has refused to pay out compensation to the victims and their families.

Sq Ldr Harrison-Broadley died, aged 63, in 1983 but his case has now emerged after his log books and medals were put up for auction by a relative of his.

John Harrison-Broadley pictured in a luxury MG at RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire - 1954

John Harrison-Broadley pictured in a luxury MG at RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire – 1954

The BNTVA has expressed an interest in buying the archive as the log book could add weight to its ongoing fight to get official recognition for what the men went through.

The archive has a pre-sale estimate of £800 and is being sold by Bosleys Auctioneers of Marlow, Buckinghamshire.

Bernard Pass, of Bosleys, said: ‘To me these log books highlight the sheer naivety of what we were doing. Nobody really knew about the risks and effects of radiation.

‘This guy was sent up 48 times to fly through the mushroom clouds to see how they dispersed.

‘There is no doubt he died of cancer related to the testing. He was a war hero. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and spent four years as a PoW and this is how we treated him.’

Pictured in his naval officer uniform aged 21

Douglas Hern (left in 2016 and, right, in his naval uniform aged 21), of the British Nuclear Test Vetrens Association 

Douglas Hern, of the BNTVA which has spent 30 years campaigning for official recognition for what the veterans went through, said: ‘This log book is something we would like to have in our archives.

‘If necessary it could be used for a general court case in the future or more likely help add to our bid to get recognition.’

Sq Ldr Harrison-Broadley (pictured in 1939), from York, flew in the Battle of France in 1940

Sq Ldr Harrison-Broadley (pictured in 1939), from York, flew in the Battle of France in 1940

Sq Ldr Harrison-Broadley, from York, flew in the Battle of France in 1940. 

‘He bombed German armoured transport convoys headed for the beaches of Dunkirk and the 330,000 Allies troops stranded there.

He went on to successfully bomb the Nazi headquarters of Belgium before he was posted to 82 Squadron in May 1941.

During the siege of Malta he piloted a Blenheim bomber in a low-level attack on a convoy of German ships. His engine caught fire and he crashed in the Mediterranean before being taken prisoner.

He spent the next four years as a PoW in the ‘Great Escape’ camp Stalag Luft III and was released at the end of the war in May 1945.

After a spell out of the RAF, he rejoined the service in 1950 and was sent to Western Australia in 1956. His widow Audrey died in 2014.

Mr Hern, from Spalding, Lincs, served in the Royal Navy as a cook and was exposed to five nuclear test blasts in 1957 on Christmas Island.

He said: ‘I was 19 miles away from a bomb that was the equivalent of 3,500,000 tonnes of TNT. It was not a bomb, it was a manmade sun.

‘When the flash went off it was like being exposed to 12,000 X-rays in one go. It is like being microwaved and I went through that five times.

‘I wore a bush hat, shirt, shorts and flipflops.’

The BNTVA has expressed an interest in buying the archive as the log book could add weight to its ongoing fight to get official recognition for what the men went through

The BNTVA has expressed an interest in buying the archive as the log book could add weight to its ongoing fight to get official recognition for what the men went through

The archive has a pre-sale estimate of £800 and is being sold by Bosleys Auctioneers of Marlow, Bucks

The archive has a pre-sale estimate of £800 and is being sold by Bosleys Auctioneers of Marlow, Bucks

Mr Hern’s daughter died of cancer aged 13 in 1977 which he maintains was linked to the radiation poisoning he suffered.

He said: ‘I tried to get her medical records from three hospitals but they had all been lost. I still haven’t got to the bottom of it today.

‘The UK government has never admitted liability for what happened, they can’t because 22,000 families would start claiming compensation.

‘As far as the governement is concrened it didn’t put anyone in a hazardous area or in danger.

‘Every Prime Minister since the 1980s has promised to put the matter to bed and each one has reneged on their promise.’

Sq Ldr Harrison-Broadley’s archive is being sold on November 1.

 

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