Veterans of UK nuclear weapons tests win battle for medal

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Seven decades after Britain detonated a nuclear bomb in the Indian Ocean, troops who took part in the country’s atomic weapons tests are being recognized with a medal. The Nuclear Test Medal is a victory for veterans and their families, who have long campaigned for recognition. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Monday that the medal was “an enduring symbol of our country’s gratitude.” Sunak attended the first-ever ceremony for the nuclear veterans at the National Memorial Arboretum in central England. It marked the 70th anniversary of the U.K.’s first atmospheric atomic test on Oct. 3, 1952. Veterans welcomed the medal, but many also want recognition of health problems they believe they suffered as a result of exposure to radiation.