Operation Grapple Yankee - Decontamination of Aircraft

Ministry of Defence did not have the information requested.

Dear Ministry of Defence,

On April 28, 1958, the British Government detonated the most powerful Hydrogen Bomb built by the UK. It was detonated at a height of 8,000 feet off the Southern tip of Christmas Island, located 2 degrees above the Equator and 156 degrees West.

After the detonation, a number of aircraft flying in the vicinity of Christmas island became contaminated with Radio Active particles. On landing they were ordered to the Decontamination Pans located adjacent to the Airfield. Where they were washed down and decontaminated of external radioactive particles.

I would like to get a schedule of all the aircraft decontaminated at Christmas Island on April 28,1958. To included: Aircraft Number, Type, Crew, level of Contamination for each aircraft cleaned and the amount of water needed to clean each aircraft.

This data should be well documented and stored in AWE archives, and should be readily accessible.

Thank you!

Yours faithfully,

Joseph Pasquini

DES SEC-PolSecShips and Subs (MULTIUSER),

Dear Mr Pasquini.

 

Thank you for your email of 21 November 2011 requesting the following
information:

 

     “On April 28, 1958, the British Government detonated the most

     powerful Hydrogen Bomb built by the UK. It was detonated at a

     height of 8,000 feet off the Southern tip of Christmas Island,

     located 2 degrees above the Equator and 156 degrees West.

    

     After the detonation, a number of aircraft flying in the vicinity

     of Christmas island became contaminated with Radio Active

     particles. On landing they were ordered to the Decontamination Pans

     located adjacent to the Airfield. Where they were washed down and

     decontaminated of external radioactive particles.

    

     I would like to get a schedule of all the aircraft decontaminated

     at Christmas Island on April 28,1958. To included: Aircraft Number,

     Type, Crew, level of Contamination for each aircraft cleaned and

     the amount of water needed to clean each aircraft.

    

     This data should be well documented and stored in AWE archives, and

     should be readily accessible”

 

Your request is being dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act and will be answered within twenty working days. I will,
therefore, write to you again by 19 December 2011 with either a
substantive response or an update on your request.

 

If you have any queries about this request, please do not hesitate to
contact me. Please remember to quote reference number
22-11-2011-1029954-002 in any future communications.

 

Regards

 

DE&S Policy Secretariat

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

DES SEC-PolSecShips and Subs (MULTIUSER),

1 Attachment

  • Attachment

    20111214 22 11 2011 102954 002 Pasquini Decontaminated aircraft XMAS Islands final response U.pdf

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Dear Mr Pasquini

 

Please find attached a response to your recent Freedom of Information
request.

 

Regards

 

DES Policy Secretariat 

 

 

 

 

Fred WP Dawson left an annotation ()

You might find something here

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/pro/p-def16.htm