24 April 2011

Nuclear tests ravage family's health

A Perth family has been plagued by serious illness and premature deaths for three generations, after inheriting damaged genes from a serviceman used as a human guinea pig for British nuclear tests in Australia more than half a century ago.

The children of late RAAF serviceman Bob Williamson are now one of 250 Australian families joining British veterans to sue the UK's Ministry of Defence for the devastating atomic experiments in the 1950s.

Their family has suffered cancers, tumours and illness across three generations, but they are not alone.

Bob Williamson was among thousands of soldiers unwittingly exposed to dangerous amounts of radiation when they took part in the testing in remote parts of Australia.

Then Prime Minister Robert Menzies gave Winston Churchill the go ahead to trial a total of 21 nuclear weapons on the country's soil.

The radioactive fallout poisoned land at places like Maralinga in South Australia and the Monte Bello islands in Western Australia.

The Australian soldiers taking part didn't stand a chance. Often wearing little more than shorts and shirts, they were simply told to turn their backs when the scientists detonated bombs.

Many of the servicemen began dying of horrific cancers, while others, like Bob, passed their damaged genes onto their children.

A 60 Minutes report airing tonight reveals how Bob's children, Susan, Ken and Jennifer continue to struggle with the devastating impact of the nuclear fallout.

Ken has had prostate cancer and melanoma and Susan has had three bouts of breast cancer.

But they were the lucky ones. They lost three siblings to cancers and tumours at a young age.

"Whether the government pay any compensation or not is irrelevant to me. I want them to stand up and say, this is what we did, sorry," Ken told the Nine Network's 60 Minutes.

"If they covered medical expenses and it wasn’t something that you had to sort of fork out every five minutes, yes, that would be good.

"At least they’re saying, you know, we’re able and quite willing to help you get through this."

24 Apr 2011


As seen by the Anglo-Masonic Lords of England, Australia is a Penal Colonial Outpost with savages.

So during the nuclear tests Aussies were in close proximity AND told to look at the explosion.

Aussies the Canon Fodder for England.

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