Fissionline 76

FISSIONLINE FISSIONLINE Issue 76

International Bulletin of Nuclear Veterans and Children

Court papers reveal chaos after UK HBomb blast Pg 5

PM's 'It's Pity' paper was fake news Pg 9

'Sabotage' Nagasaki pilot's grim fate pgs 6,7

NEVER FORGET THE NUCLEAR VETERANS

Nov 2025

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FISSIONLINE Lest We Forget we remember the millions of men slaughtered on the killing fields of the Somme, Ypres, Flanders, Normandy, Sicily, North Africa, Burma, and all the other bloody conflicts that have torn apart this world of ours over the last century, spare a thought for a relatively small and little known army of men who at the height of the Cold War fought an invisible but no less deadly foe.

They were the thousands of men, many of them mere boys and conscripts, who were sent overseas to remote parts of the world as participants in nuclear weapons tests.

They flew the planes, manned the ships and laboured to build the runways and the infrastructure to facilitate Britain's nuclear bomb test program which would play a crucial part in staving off a nuclear bomb attack by the USSR. Part of their job was one of the most dangerous of all...to act as human guinea pigs to gauge the effects on soldiers of the explosions in battlefield conditions should the very real possibility of a nuclear war break out.

But unlike their comrades in arms who fought in more conventional wars, nuclear veterans didn’t carry guns nor fall on the battlefields.

Their deaths were more insidious. They fell years later when the minute but deadly, bullets of radiation had wormed their way through their blood, flesh and bones to attack their nervous systems and vital organs.

Some fell soon after returning home, from radiation boosted aggressive cancers like leukaemia and multiple myeloma; others died writhing in agony from illnesses that seemed to have no known cause.

Saddest of all were those who died long, miserable deaths, overcome by exhaustion from maladies that over the years just quietly sucked the life out of them.

Shamefully, their pain has never been properly recognised by successive British governments who insist their illnesses were not caused by radiation. This, of course comes as no surprise...for acknowledgement of harm by radiation would open the door to huge compensation claims.

So the government covered it up. The

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complicity of the judiciary and academics in this historic scandal is also not a surprise. In recent years there have been several highprofile court cases involving compensation claims by nuclear veterans that have found in their favour, only to have their hard-won victories snatched from them by successful appeals by the Ministry of Defence (at taxpayers’ expense, of course.)

Some judges even brutally threw out the claims on the grounds the illnesses suffered by the veterans were “fanciful.”

They were following a worrying and growing trend to play down the effects of low-level radiation on the human body. These effects are well-known in scientific circles where it has been proven time and again that radiation exposure, even at very low levels, can harm human beings.

But there has always been a tendency in Establishment circles, particularly those that rely on Government funding for their existence, to play down those effects.

But no matter what the nuclear apologists say, those who have actually experienced the fallout from nuclear bombs know the truth Fissionline has records of nearly 2,500 nuclear veterans whose suffering is writ large across the blood-stained annals of man’s inhumanity to man.

They may not have fallen in a foreign field, but their deaths were no less significant.

Let us add their names to the scrolls of honour that mark the heroism of those brave men who gave their ’todays for our tomorrow.'

Fissionline is an independent newspaper with no political ties or affiliations. Got something to say, a story to tell?

Contact the editor on: Fissionline@gmail.com

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July 1963: President John F. Kennedy signs the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty As Trump prepares to trash the international Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, here is a timely reminder of what another American President said when he ratified the Treaty back in July 1963.

"A war today or tomorrow, if it led to nuclear war, would not be like any war in history. A full-scale nuclear exchange, lasting less than 60 minutes, with the weapons now in existence, could wipe out more than 300million Americans, Europeans and Russians, as well as untold millions elsewhere. And the survivors, as Chairman Khrushchev warned the Communist Chinese, "the survivors would envy the dead," For they would inherit a world so devastated by explosion and poison and fire that today we cannot even conceive of its horrors. So let us try to turn the world away from war. Let us make the most of this opportunity, and every opportunity, to reduce tension, to slow down the perilous nuclear arms race, and to check the world's slide toward final annihilation. Second, this treaty can be a step towards freeing the

world from the fears and dangers of radioactive fallout. Our own atmospheric tests last year were conducted under conditions which restricted such fallout to an absolute minimum. But over the years the number and the yield of weapons tested have rapidly increased and so have the radioactive hazards from such testing.

Continued unrestricted testing by the nuclear powers, joined in time by other nations which may be less adept in limiting pollution, will increasingly contaminate the air that all of us must breathe. Even then, the number of children and grandchildren with cancer in their bones with leukaemia in their blood, or with poison in their lungs might seem statistically small to some, in comparison with natural health hazards. But this is not a natural health hazard and it is not a statistical issue. The loss of even one human life, or the malformation of even one baby who may be born long after all of us have gone-should be of concern to us all.

Our children and grandchildren are not merely statistics towards which we can be indifferent."

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Ukraine war means nuclear meltdown at Zaporizhhia 'a possibility' warn experts

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s war continues to rage in Ukraine

the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continues to warn of dire consequences for nuclear plants in the path of war.

Experts say repeated loss of external power, which is vital for cooling the reactors and spent fuel meant plants like the giant Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant had to rely on emergency diesel generators.

But if they failed a nuclear meltdown was possible, and the risk remained a significant concern for international monitors like the

IAEA. While a Chernobyl-style catastrophe is considered unlikely under current conditions, a severe incident could still occur. Loss of external power is the primary risk factor.

The reactors and spent fuel require a constant supply of cooling water to prevent overheating. This cooling is typically maintained by external power from the grid.

Meanwhile after recent drone attacks caused alarm, the IAEA says that negotiations are on-going to allow work to take place to restore a backup external power supply to the Plant.

The six-unit plant has been under Russian military control since March 2022. It had 10 external power lines before the war began, but there is currently only one line working, and it recently spent a month without external power when that line was lost.

During the loss of external power, emergency diesel generators supplied the power but they are not intended to be a long-term solution.

International Atomic Energy chairman Rafael Grossi said: "The dangers to nuclear safety continue to be very real and ever-present. I once again call for maximum military restraint in the vicinity of nuclear facilities and full respect of the seven indispensable pillars for nuclear safety and security."

A Russian soldier stands guard at the giant Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

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Unearthed court documents reveal chaos following Grapple X explosion.

Top Brass "legged it" court told

By Alan Rimmer ollowing fissionline’s access to highly-classified MoD revelations about a UK documents, expressed dismay cover-up of the effects of a huge at the chaos that followed the test.

H-bomb codenamed Grapple X Many key documents concerning the test on Christmas Island in were lost forever, he told the court.

November 1957, more evidence Judge Stubbs also raised concerns about the has come to light. test when he stated: “The most important In issue 74 we revealed how the CIA point is we don’t think there is any evidence exposed UK government lies about both anywhere of dosimetry after Grapple X.” the size of the bomb and the radioactive Heppinstall replied: “I’ve spent three years fallout that resulted. Now unearthed court asking to see those documents because they documents recount how the military top are very thin on the ground. brass fled the island after the explosion.

"The only one we have where there is a Major-General G r a h a m report provided for, I am guessing, referred Messervy-Whiting who sat to some form of on the Stubbs Ionising proceedings about Radiation T r i b u n a l in somebody who died or 2015 made the revelation had been injured. during closing submissions in "One can speculate, but the controversial trial which there is a lack of was to set up to decide if documentary evidence. illnesses among Christmas "It’s either because it was Island veterans were caused never created or because by radiation exposure. the Public Record Act The tribunal was discussing has had it destroyed.” the mysterious absence of Neil Sampson, for documentation relating to Rosenblatts solicitors radiation dose records when representing 1,000 Messervy-Whiting, former nuclear veterans told the military adviser to NATO, court that the Secretary made his intervention. of State had only He said: “I mean we couldn’t disclosed about 8 per find any 76 Squadron cent of its admitted (Canberra “sniffer” squad) documentation in documentation at all,” adding: relation to Grapple X." “It was a period of major *In Issue 74 we revealed handling by Task Force how the blood testing for Commanders and key leukaemia was carried personnel who sort of legged out on men returning it quickly.” from Christmas Island Adam Heppinstall, QC for the after the Grapple X Ministry of Defence, told the explosion. Sapper Phil Tribunal: “Indeed there was a Munn who later died of massive personnel transfer the disease was which we referenced. There convinced he was used as also doesn’t appear to be a nuclear guinea pig. interim reports of the same Maj Gen Messervy-Whiting style as other tests.”

Messervy-Whiting, who had

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Mystery death of the pilot who almost sabotaged the Nagasaki mission ead James 'Hoppy' Hopkins

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te r u n i 4 -m

inian Island in the Marianas August 9th, no-one had given him one. "Then

By Alan Rimmer I'm afraid you will have to vacate 1945 and the aircraft set to deliver the final blow to the Japanese empire is in the aircraft," said Hopkins. And despite Serber's protestations was trouble. unceremoniously thrown off the plane Last minute checks have identified problems with a fuel pump holding a reserve 500 gallons of It was an absurd decision by Hopkins...what was gasoline. the point of photographic flight without a camera or cameraman? But this does not seem to have As the weather closed in a decision had to be bothered Hopkins as he followed in the wake of made whether to continue the mission or not.

Sweeney.

The Superfortress plane, it's nosecone proudly Both aircraft took off smoothly into the displaying the name 'Bockscar' had just about darkening skies, lightening flashing eerily as they enough fuel to complete the 4,000 mile round ascended through a thunderstorm. As well as his trip without the reserve tank, but it would be crew Hopkins was carrying two British touch and go. observers that Churchill had insisted should be The commander, Major Jim Sweeney weighed aboard the plane for the historic mission. the odds, and after consulting senior officers, One was Dr William Penney, who would later decided it was a risk worth taking; he wasn't go on to mastermind the UK's own atomic about to lose his place in history. 'Let's go" he programme, and Squadron Leader Leonard ordered and his 12-man crew scrambled aboard.

Cheshire VC, a war hero who had flown many Their destination was the Japanese city of hazardous missions in Lancaster bombers over Kokura, an important industrial centre for Germany.

Japanese arms manufacturing.

The pair had only made the flight by the skin of As Sweeney fired up the four huge Wright their teeth as it was made clear to them from R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone engines, the two the outset that the Americans were not keen to accompanying aircraft moved into position at his have them on board. wingtips.

This antagonism was almost certainly led by One of these was the photographic General Curtis LeMay, the cigar chewing reconnaisance plane called 'The Big Stink' mastermind in charge of America's huge bombing commanded by Lt Col Jim 'Hoppy' Hopkins, a fleet. He had had his nose put out of joint by not career airman with a reputation for being a being involved in the atomic bombing mission. stickler for procedure.

After one huge night raid over Tokyo earlier that Los Alamos Scientist Robert Serber was soon to year he had wiped out more than 100,000 find this out after he scrambled aboard the civilians in a firestorm that destroyed a third of aircfraft and took his seat. He had with him the city. He reckoned he could finish the war sophisticated camera equipment specially with his huge airforce without relying on the calibrated to take the best possible pictures of "new-fangled' atomic bomb. the atomic explosion.

A lot of his airmen were loyal to him, and one of Hopkins observed him cooly and without these was Hopkins. He and other senior officers preamble barked: "Where's your parachute? had worked closely with Lemay and may well Serber, flustered, shrugged his shoulders and said have frowned on the atomic missions. Cheshire

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it to Iwo Jima which had only recently been must have wondered at Hopkins's decision captured by the Americans. When he finally to evacuate Serber. And he must have been made it back to Tinian there was no hero's even more concerned when there was a welcome. As far as the Top Brass was sudden emergency as the plane reached concerned, the Nagasaki mission with all its cruising height. flaws and mishaps was best forgotten about.

The navy officer in charge of the nuclear No sense in raking over the coals of the weapon Frederick Lincoln "Dick" Ashworth, mission that nearly failed. plunged down a hatch into the bomb bay to No official enquiry was ever conducted into discover emergency lights flashing on the the causes of the near catastrophe and bomb, nicknamed 'Fat Man'.

Hopkins's role was never really questioned.

As tension aboard the aircraft mounted, In fact he, along with the rest of the crew Ashworth and an aide cooly examined the received a gong for the mission; ironically switches and discovered a vital connection Hopkins even received a promotion. had been wired wrongly.

Doubts and suspicions were aired about the They soon fixed the problem and the lights mission in various books, notatably by stopped flashing. The plane continued Sweeney without further himself, who expressed incident until it puzzlement reached Yakushima about Island where it was Hopkins's due to rendezvous behaviour.

Leonard Cheshire Maj Charles Sweeney with Bockscar and But these the other aircraft. suspicions were only ever couched in At this stage Cheshire noticed something oblique terms with no actual accusations strange: 'Big Stink' appeared to be flying ever being made.

9,000 feet above the chosen rendevous Either way it never affected Hopkins's height. Glancing at Hopkins he was about to career as he rose smoothly up the Air point this out, but something told him it Force ranks in the years following. In 1951 was not a good idea. he along with some of the USAF's most Meanwhile Sweeney in Bockscar was just as senior commanders boarded a huge C-124 puzzled. The other aircraft had reached the Globemaster Airforce Carrier at Walker air rendevous point, but there was no sign of force base in New Mexico for what turned Hopkins who was of course 9,000 feet out to be his last mission. higher.

Bound for Lakenheath strategic air Unable to make contact because of strict command base in England, the mission was radio silence rules, Sweeney wasted 45 shrouded in secrecy, although rumour had precious minutes waiting for Hopkins to it there was an atomic bomb on board. show up. With fuel running dangerously The plane never reached its destination. For low, and after discovering too much cloud some unaccountable reason there was an cover over Kokura, Sweeney finally headed explosion on board and the plane plunged for the secondary target, Nagasaki. into the cold Atlantic ocean 800 miles south Cloud cover there was also bad, but at the west of Ireland. last minute a hole appeared in the clouds A huge rescue operation swung into action, and the bomb was dropped. It was 500 but although one aircraft reported seeing yards off its intended target, the centre of flares and life rafts, none of the 52 the city, but it was more powereful than the passengers were ever seen again Hiroshima bomb wreaking havoc along the length of the Urakami Valley. 70,000 souls perished at a stroke. Sweeney barely made

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Loo fluid solves mystery of the blue dogs of Chernobyl bservers of the huge exclusion zone surrounding the stricken Chernobyl nuclear power ststion were startled to discover herds of "blue" dogs wandering in the woods. Pictures of the strange but otherwise healthy looking dogs went viral amid speculation they might be affected by a strange mutation caused by radiation.

But local welfare groups who went in to investigate soon discovered the reason: the colour was not from radiation but from the dogs rolling in a blue chemical fluid used in portable toilets on the site.

The "dogs of Chernobyl" are the descendants of pets left behind after the 1986 nuclear disaster. These feral dogs roam the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

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Multiple organisations are working to help the dog population, including providing veterinary care and sterilising them to control the population size.

After the initial evacuation, many of these animals were killed, but some survived and reproduced, establishing the current population.

There are thousands of stray dogs in the area, with distinct populations in and around the power plant and Chernobyl City.

The dogs are the subject of scientific study due to their unique adaptation to a highly radioactive environment.

Researchers are studying their genetics to understand the long-term effects of radiation exposure on a mammal species.

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A pity....but this was fake news

Sir Anthony Eden t is one of the most infamous letters in the pantheon of alleged perfidy carried out by the British government in response to fears about the genetic effects of radiation. Referring to a report being prepared in 1955 about the dire consequences of radioactive fallout from nuclear bomb tests on future generations, the Prime Minister of the day, Sir Antony Eden wrote, "A pity, but we cannot help it."

This seemingly callous comment has been used in countless TV programs and newspapers to suggest a cruel and unfeeling attitude by the British Government toward the plight of Britain's nuclear veterans and their children. The Medical Research Council's report, "Hazards to Man of Nuclear and Allied Radiations" was being prepared following widespread concerns about nuclear bomb testing. Some of the most eminent doctors and medical experts in the land had been tasked to give a comprehensive expert opinion on the problem. A crucial aspect of the report concerned the effects of radiations on the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Experts in Washington were preparing data for the report, but had indicated that this would be delayed. It meant that the British report would also be delayed and this was communicated to Eden in a letter from the report's chairman Sir Harold Himsworth. It was in response to this letter that Eden made his comment. This was sent to the secretary of the British Nuclear Tests Veterans Association in 1987, but was never put into the public domain, until now.

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eporter Wilfred Burchett staggered off the train and into hell. He couldn't From read Japanese but he The knew what the charred railway sign Bunker above his head said: 'Hiroshima.'

While the rest of the press pack covered the official surrender signing ceremony in Tokyo Bay, Burchett had set off to see for himself the fate of the city destroyed by the new 'wonder weapon' that had brought World War Two to an end.

One of the first things he was told on enquiring how to get to Wilfred Burchett the city was: "No-one goes to Hiroshima. Everyone is dying there..."

Using all the skill and guile of someone who had been reporting in war zones for five years he got himself aboard one of the very few trains to Hiroshima.

He found himself crammed in the corner of a carriage under the sullen gaze of a group of recently demobbed Japanese soldiers who looked as though they would like to kill him.

Somehow he survived and after a nervewracking 15-hour journey found himself in Hiroshima, the first western journalist to reach the shattered city after the A-Bomb attack.

Burchett had witnessed the carnage of Iwo Jima, and many other battlefields and was used to death in all its grisly obscenities.

But nothing compared to Hiroshima. Acrid smoke hung in a pall over the entire city, fires blazed everywhere, the cries of the sick and wounded rent the choked air; piles of bodies were being burnt without ceremony on funeral pyres; death seeped from every stone and brick left standing from the whirlwind of destruction that had flattened an entire city.

In a daze Burchett wandered about the hellish landscape until he came across a makeshift hospital staffed by surgeons and nurses with soot-blackened faces and tattered clothing trying desperately, with the most rudimentary

instruments to tend to the ever-growing army of injured people queuing outside.

Blast and burn injuries accounted for the majority of the suffering; but there was another inexplicable malady being visited upon many others: a sickness marked by nausea and hair loss, diahorrea and acute fatigue. Victims lost the will to live and simply wasted away.

Burchett with his practised journalistic eye knew this was the real story about the atomic bomb and coined a new phrase : The Atomic Plague.

Without further ado he sat down on a chunk of concrete at what he believed to be ground zero and pounded out on his Baby Hermes typewriter the scoop of the century:THE ATOMIC PLAGUE A warning to the world "In Hiroshima, 30 days after the atomic bomb destroyed the city, people are still dying, mysteriously and horribly -- people who were uninjured in the cataclysm from an unknown something which I can only describe as the atomic plague..."

The story was published in the Daily Express to worldwide aclaim. But the authorities weren't happy. Radiation sickness was a Pandora's box they simple did not want opened. They ordered tame newspaper hacks to refer only to "blast and burn" effects, insisting that Burchett's story was exaggerated.

He was later accused of having close ties with communist governments and was even accused of being a traitor. He had his Australian citizenship stripped in 1955 but later restored in 1972.

In later life He continued to cover major conflicts, including the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He died on September 27, 1983, in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he had settled.

All his life Burchett believed there had been a massive cover-up, beginning in Hiroshima, of the genetic affects of radiation.

We at fissionline believe that cover-up continues to this day.

It is why we exist, why we fight and why we will never give up until nuclear weapons and the threat of nuclear war are eradicated from the face of mankind for all time.