Atomic bomb veteran John Taylor makes plea to Government

Sep 29 2009 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

AN atomic bomb veteran last night pleaded with the Government to rush through a multi-million pound claim for compensation before more ex-servicemen die.

John Taylor, 72, from Carnegie Close in Biddick Hall, South Shields, was only 20 when he travelled to Maralinga in Australia as an RAF leading aircraftman.

He spent six months in 1957 helping to organise the Antler atom bomb tests and during that time became one of some 12,000 British, Australian and US servicemen who witnessed atomic explosions in the 1950s and 1960s.

Since then experts have estimated that one in three of those who were involved in the tests have developed cancer or a range of other health problems.

And now grandfather-of-five Mr Taylor is urging MoD chiefs to hurry through compensations negotiations so that he, and other veterans, can receive the justice they deserve.

He said: “The judge told the Ministry of Defence there needs to be a swift resolution to this matter because a lot of people are dying while this is taking place.

“But this is typical of all the previous governments who have reacted in this way and drawn this out through the years.

“I’ve just been recovering from having my gall bladder removed and you lie in hospital and wonder if you’re going to see justice.

“There are lads that I know who have died well before the court case and it’s disgraceful – they will never see justice done.”

Last year, along with two other former-servicemen from Tyneside and 900 from across the country, Mr Taylor sued the Ministry of Defence for damages.