A study conducted by scientists investigating cancer rates among veterans involved in Cold War nuclear bomb tests revealed that data indicating over 1,000 troops who received radiation doses had been deliberately excluded from the official report on their causes of death.
The final report initially denied any link between the veterans’ deaths and the nuclear weapon trials, attributing any cancer cases to mere chance. Subsequently, an updated version of the research, released 70 years later, established a statistically significant association between serving at the nuclear test sites and subsequent mortality.
Despite this development, the study was still inconclusive regarding the direct correlation between cancers and radiation exposure, as a substantial number of documented radiation doses were mysteriously omitted from the study’s data from the outset.
Campaigners are now urging the Ministry of Defence to discontinue reliance on the discredited study, which faced criticism after revelations that officials had pressured for alterations to the conclusions. The campaigners plan to address these concerns in an upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer scheduled for the early part of the New Year.
Alan Owen from the advocacy group LABRATS expressed skepticism about the study, stating, “Veterans always suspected the study’s validity was questionable, and now we have concrete evidence. The MoD cannot continue to use this flawed science to conceal its wrongdoings.”
The disclosure emerged from a summary of dose records known as “the Blue Books,” held by the Atomic Weapons Establishment. These records were classified as state secrets, with limited access granted only to AWE personnel holding high-level security clearance.
Following a 14-month Freedom of Information battle, The Mirror obtained a copy of the records, revealing that out of 14,290 servicemen involved in the trials, 6,053 had recorded radiation doses. Despite the doses being categorized as low, it was acknowledged that any level of radiation could pose risks of harm.
When the government initiated a cancer and mortality study in 1985, 1,031 servicemen with recorded radiation doses were excluded from the research, leading to discrepancies in the total number of participants and the number examined for deaths.
Former RAF technician John Folkes, who participated in the trials in Australia, recounted his experiences of being exposed to radiation during Operation Buffalo in 1956. Despite having radiation doses recorded, a significant portion of the recorded doses for the Buffalo trials participants was omitted from the final analysis.
In response to queries about the missing data, researchers mentioned removing duplications but did not clarify whether the excluded doses were duplicates or if they differed from those included in the study’s findings.
The Ministry of Defence defended the exclusion of some troops from the study, attributing it to rigorous research practices. They noted that some individuals were intentionally left out due to unavailability of their medical records from the NHS.
The study researchers extensively verified and cross-referenced the records, utilizing NHS systems to trace individuals and rectify any errors or duplications in the
