A Christmas Island veteran from Fife has compared the Ministry of Defence’s treatment of British soldiers during the nuclear tests of the 1950s with the experiments of Nazi doctor Joseph Mengele.
The hard-hitting comment has been made by 77-year-old Dave Whyte, from Kirkcaldy, after it was confirmed he has just lost a war pension tribunal because he was deemed not ill enough immediately after the nuclear tests and in the decades since.
Mr Whyte, who has been fighting for years to discover “the truth” about exposure to radiation during the British nuclear tests of the 1950s, had it acknowledged by the MoD in 2011 that two conditions he suffers lymphadenopathy and abdominal pain were the result of military service.
The MoD granted him a war pension of 0% and failed to pay compensation for these ailments.
Mr Whyte told the Edinburgh hearing: “The refusal by the Secretary of State to release all documents relating to levels of radiation at Christmas Island has led to years of frustration, anxiety and stress in addition to the abdominal pain and I believe compensation should be paid as these ailments could have been avoided.”
The tribunal findings, just published, concluded that no compensation was appropriate.
It said: “The appellant gave a clear and detailed account of the circumstances of his service resulting in the accepted conditions.
“The appellant told us that he has no ongoing symptoms arising from the lymphadenopathy.
“The appellant told us that he does suffer from abdominal pain, which he manages with painkillers. There was a period of 22 years when the appellant did not seek medical attention for abdominal pain.”
Mr Whyte, who was never told why he had a lymph node removed from his body after the nuclear tests, told The Courier he disputes the conclusion that he did not seek medical attention for 22 years.
He said: “I periodically visited a doctor to see if they could reach a diagnosis but I do not have records of these visits.
“It appears the MoD have ‘carte blanche’ to use British servicemen and their Allies for any human experiments they wish and do not have to answer the consequences.
“This is akin to the Nazi doctor Joseph Mengele removing body parts from human specimens alive and dead without having to account for their actions.
“It appears any person who enlists into the armed forces automatically loses all rights to be treated as a ‘human being’.
“The services are permitted to remove body parts for examination whilst a person is alive and the services have no requirement to notify the individual on the findings.
“Had I been a terrorist, a criminal or an illegal immigrant, I would be given legal aid to fight my case but, because I am a loyal British veteran, I am denied legal aid to take my case to a criminal court.
“Radiating servicemen was akin to the medical experiments conducted by the Nazis during the Second World War.
“These ‘human guinea pigs’ were denied the human rights that David Cameron is shouting loudly about in Sri Lanka at the moment but it is surprising how silent he is about the abuse of human rights in his own country in regards to nuclear veterans and their families.”
Mr Whyte said he regarded this tribunal defeat as a “minor blip” as other cases are still ongoing in London.
He is claiming for sterility and genetic damage, which the Secretary of State is denying.
Mr Whyte said the case has been stayed since the beginning of the year as the judge decreed those working in the forward area at Christmas Island may have received more radiation than the Secretary of State is prepared to admit. This is still being investigated.