A trailblazing widow has vowed to never give up her legal battle against an alleged Government cover-up into British citizens being killed from radiation poisoning.
Shirley Denson, who lives in Green Lane, Morden, said her husband Eric, a former RAF serviceman, was a victim of radiation poisoning after being ordered to fly a plan through the cloud of a nuclear explosion over Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean April 1958.
Known as ‘Grapple Y’, Mrs Denson said it was Britain’s biggest-ever nuclear test, officially three megatons in force.
"He used to break down and say ‘what is happening to my head?’"
Mrs Denson is adamant that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) should be liable for compensation for the death of her husband, who committed suicide in 1976 after complaining of severe headaches and psychological trauma.
Mrs Denson said: “I was informed by telegram that Eric was returning home due to radiation dosage. At the time we had no idea what the implications would be.
“Then he came home and he had completely changed and he had awful mood swings. He used to break down and say ‘what is happening to my head?’
She is among hundreds of claimants who are appealing their failed attempt to sue the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a multi-million pound battle for compensation, one of whom was diagnosed with over 200 cancers.
The nuclear veterans are being represented by three legal firms, one of whom is Hickman and Rose whose lead counsel is Cherie Booth (wife of former prime minister Tony Blair).
Mrs Denson added: “If we win, it would prove the Government lied - and tried to cover up - knowing that our own servicemen would die from radiation poisoning.
“Part of the reason they have denied it for so long is because of the implications this case raises about the threat of nuclear radiation, including from nuclear power stations. It’s Nuclear-gate.”
MoD: Compensation claims are "extremely weak"
After the Court of Appeal upheld an appeal by the MoD against the compensation claims in November, the case will now be heard in the Supreme Court on July 28.
The MoD has consistently denied responsibility for the men’s illnesses and had an appeal upheld by the Court of Appeal in November that the Nuclear Test victims’ claim should be struck out under the Limitation Act because they did not sue within three years of injury.
Minister for Welfare and Veterans, Andrew Robathan MP, said: “While I have tremendous sympathy with anyone who is ill, the court accepted arguments that the general merits of the claims were extremely weak and said that the claimants had produced no evidence to link illnesses with attendance at the nuclear tests.”
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