Bert Anscombe remembers his time monitoring the effects of British nuclear tests in the Pacific in the 1950s on the HMNZS Pukaki vividly.
"It'll never fade from my memory. Only with death will it fade."
Mr Anscombe, who was based at Woodbourne for 18 years until his retirement in 2003 and now lives in Westport, was disappointed to hear that the London High Court on Tuesday dismissed a case involving more than a thousand veterans for compensation for radiation damage.
He and another sailor were left in the open on the ship's bridge to monitor the blasts with little more than a geiger counter. "Looking back now, we didn't know what the bloody hell we were doing," he said.
Five hundred and fifty-one Kiwi sailors were on board the frigates HMNZS Pukaki and HMNZS Rotoiti during the nuclear testing at Christmas Island which began in May 1957. The sailors were used as guinea pigs and there were a lot of unknowns about the possible lasting effects of the radiation, he said.
"We didn't know what, where, how or why. We got dribs and drabs – they were all rumours but we didn't really know," he said.
"If my hair started falling out I would have just thought it ran in the family."
A lawyer for the veterans said they may yet appeal the decision. Palmerston North lawyer Gordon Paine said the legal fight may yet continue.
"I haven't read the full decision yet, but from what I gather it could well be appealable," he said.
Mr Anscombe signed up with the navy at 16 and after several tours of duty in the South Pacific he returned to New Zealand to join the police force.
He then joined the army and in 1967 found himself being sent to Vietnam, where he was exposed to Agent Orange.
In 1985, Mr Anscombe signed up to the air force and was stationed at Base Woodbourne until he retired.
SIMON WONG AND FAIRFAX - The Marlborough Express
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