mmm EASTER 1995 edition
MAGAZINE
Sheila's journey proves a success for George! BY SHEILA GRAY
I
HAVE just spent three months in Australia (NSW) and whilst there I met up with both British and Australian Nuclear veterans, They all made me very welcome and I loved their pace of life. First you take a few days to think about something, then a few more days to decide whether or not to do it. After that comes the hard part - actually doing it. Of course, after the effort you need a few more days to recover. I wonder how many of the MoD staff originate from there. Anyhow, I met a few men off IIMAS Sydney and I am pleased to say their health is good. They asked me to pass on their best wishes to you all. However, it was a different story with our veterans over there especially one, George Parker, whose story I will tell. Whilst there I applied for a pension for him and even though it was over the Christmas period, within three weeks he had received a date for his medical. Why can't our country move this fast. I also promised him help in contacting some of his old shipmates. So here is his story. George served as a stoker aboard the Campania at the Monte Bello Test in 1952 and his main job was boiling down the sea water to 'purify it' for drinking etc. Eventually this pure water ran short so he had to pump sea water on board to be used for washing, laundry and hose down the heli copters which were constantly landing. At one time, after much usage, the coils were taken out of the evaporator for clean ing. A geiger counter was held over them and it went berserk. Of course, by then everyone had drank or cooked with the
ABOVE: Sheila goes ’Bush Riding’ with George Parker during her visit. water and bathed in it. He also told how the generators were sucking in sea w'ater all the time and after berthing in Sheerness he spent the next 8-9 months refitting the generators, none of which were ever decontaminated - and nor was he. All this, as with many of you, without the use of protective clothing. He suf fered a particularly nasty and rare can cer. How can the MoD sit back in their safe chairs and say you were all safe!
George would like to hear from any one who remembers him and also to be told what happened to the Campania after he left it in September 1953. He went out to Australia to live in 1966 and has lost contact with everyone. If anyone out there can help, especially with the fate of the Campania, please write to him at: Bush Lodge, Kader Street, Bargo 2574, NSW, Australia Gate of Oldham).