Christmas Island Bomb Test 1958

Here we consider the day to day experiences of the soldiers who travelled to christmas island to test the bomb.

Christmas island bomb test 1958. Died as a result of the hydrogen bomb tests on christmas island. The test of 60 years ago was the largest of britain s nine nuclear tests at christmas and nearby malden island in 1957 and 1958 which involved the support of military personnel from both new zealand and fiji. Britain exploded its first hydrogen bomb on christmas island in 1957 as part of a series of tests in the pacific. Operation grapple was a set of four british nuclear weapons test series of early atomic bombs and hydrogen bombs carried out in 1957 and 1958 at malden island and kiritimati christmas island in the gilbert and ellice islands in the pacific ocean modern kiribati as part of the british hydrogen bomb programme nine nuclear explosions were initiated culminating in the united kingdom becoming.

On the remote indian ocean island between 1957 and 1958 was. Christmas island h bomb test families tell of continuing horror. This was 28 april 1958 and he had witnessed the british army s h bomb test. The test took place at high altitude to minimise nuclear fall out.

The tests ended six years later and parts of the island were sealed off. Photos of 73 christmas island squadron royal engineers 1958 9. When we heard that the british were coming to christmas island when the ship anchored we. This was april 28 1958 and he had witnessed the british army s operation grapple y h bomb test.

Mark felton productions recommended for you. He had been posted to kiritimati ki ris i mas or christmas island one of 33 low lying islands that constitute the. Hans ulrich rudel the surrender of germany s most decorated ace 1945 duration. In 1957 the british military began conducting nuclear tests in the pacific ocean and based themselves on christmas island.

Mr hall a 19 year old raf groundcrewsman was stationed on christmas island off the north eastern coast of australia to assist with.