Veteran Dave Whyte blames nuclear bomb exposure for health issues and demands compensation

A nuclear veteran has demanded a public inquiry into the impact of Cold War weapon tests which robbed him of the chance to start a family.

Dave Whyte blames his exposure to the fallout from two atomic and three hydrogen bomb blasts on Christmas Island in 1958 for a catalogue of health problems, including sterility.

The pensioner, 88, was responsible for clearing atomic debris from "ground zero" of the detonation site but was provided with no form of protection from the radiation he was exposed to.

Dave, from Kirkcaldy in Scotland, accused the state of treating veterans with "contempt" and carrying out the "cover up of the century".

He said: "I believe there should be a public enquiry because the civil service has told so many lies to cover this contempt up. I think it's time the public got to know the truth."

The veteran, who was stationed in the Pacific for nine months aged 21, won a legal victory in 2012 to force the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to release radiation exposure records.

But he was told for years by the MoD that they did not have information on the radiation levels he was exposed to when he served in the army on Christmas Island.

A ruling by the Information Tribunal court in London then forced the MoD to release the record.

Dave told how the MoD previously stated the radiation exposure for his entire time on Christmas Island was a mere 2.4 millisieverts (mSv) but the veteran insists the true figure is at least 1,000 times this amount.

Nuclear test veterans have higher rates of cancers and blood disorders, campaigners have said.

Some studies suggest that radiation is linked to higher rates of miscarriage, infant mortality and birth defects among the children and grandchildren of these veterans.

Dave, who is demanding £100,000 in compensation for all nuclear test veterans, said: "I was a Royal Engineer and my main task was bombs. It was just an explosion to us. It was enjoyable. It was lovely to watch. You saw two suns in the sky. One bright red and one the golden sun that we're used to. It was quite an experience but we were all naive.

"We knew nothing about radiation. You can't see it. You can't smell it. You can't feel it. We just had no information on it whatsoever. When I was picking up the radioactive debris, I was doing that with my bare hands. I wasn't given an implement or even a pair of gloves to wear.

"I've had health issues. I'm totally sterile. Totally infertile. I blame that entirely on the radiation. I also lost all my teeth shortly after coming back from Christmas Island. I had stomach problem but they could find no cause. I had swelling up my groin. They could find no reason for it. They took a lymph node out of my left arm and sent it away for analysis. I have never been told the result of that analysis."

Simon Jolly, a lecturer in accelerated physics at University College London, said: "It is possible to cause infertility through radiation exposure. All cells in the body can be damaged by exposure to ionising radiation, but some are more easily damaged than others: this is called the radiosensitivity."

He said the testes where sperm cells grow are extremely radiosensitive, making it possible to temporarily or permanently make someone infertile with smaller doses of radiation than that used in radiotherapy cancer treatment.

Dr Barrie Lambert, retired radiobiologist formerly senior lecturer at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, said single doses of radiation of 150mSv will produce a transient aspermia but total sterility would only result from doses of at least 3500 mSv.

He added: "It is extremely unlikely that servicemen who were present on Christmas Island would have received doses of this magnitude."

Dave, who witnessed Operation Grapple Y and Z, told how he was issued with radiation film badges and QFE Dosimeters which measure the levels of exposure.

The veteran said that the MoD alleges that his devices, along with several others', were never returned although Dave disputes this.

He said these devices hold the "true levels" of radiation received by service personnel at Christmas Island.

Dave said: "They're ashamed all right. They don't want to admit it because they know we were all radiated with a fantastic amount. I reckon you'd have to multiply the radiation levels given by 1,000 to get the true radiation levels given."

A number of nuclear test veterans stationed on the island have contacted the Express to call for compensation for the "experiment" they were involved in.

Some have demanded a proper presentation of their medals which were shoved through the post box last year following years of campaigning.

He said: "I would like to see £100,000 paid to each nuclear veteran and this would show that the Government realised what we'd done. When you look back on it now, we did do a lot for the country. We gave them nuclear veterans to defend our country. All we got was kicked in the teeth afterwards.

"The medal just came through the post and that was it. All I've received is lies."

He is also among the up to 10 million pensioners who have been stripped of their winter fuel payment.

"I'm annoyed because you do everything you can for the country and [Ministers] are picking up thousands of pounds in freebies from various donors and they treat the elderly like that," he said.

Dave added: "I'll just have to make do as I can but my heating has to come first."

The Express previously highlighted fellow nuclear test veteran and bladder cancer survivor Jack Barlow, 86, who "never claimed a penny" from the state but also lost his winter fuel payment.

An MoD spokeswoman insisted no information is withheld from veterans.

She said: "We recognise the huge contribution that Nuclear Test Veterans have made to national security.

"The government is committed to working with veterans and listening to their concerns. We have already pledged to reconsider the criteria for the commemorative Nuclear Test Medal - a key component of our recognition of their service.

"Ministers are looking hard at the issue - including the question of records. They will continue to engage with the individuals and families affected, and part of this engagement, the Minister of Veterans and People, Alistair Carns has already met with parliamentarians and a Nuclear Test Veteran campaign group to discuss their concerns further."