Nuclear Test Medal

The Nuclear Test Medal is an award intended to recognise the service of personnel involved in the Nuclear weapons of [the United Kingdom|United Kingdom's nuclear weapons] testing programmes.

History

Following many years of campaigning, in November 2022, the British Government announced the creation of a new medal intended to recognise the contribution of military and civilian personnel that took part in the various programmes aimed at developing nuclear weapons to be used by the British Armed Forces. The announcement was made to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the first UK nuclear test. In July 2023, the design of the new medal was released, with a commitment that many eligible veterans would receive their medals by Remembrance Sunday in November 2023.

Description

The medal features a crowned effigy of Charles III facing right with the inscription CHARLES III DEI GRATIA REX FID DEF on the obverse, while the reverse shows an atom design surrounded by olive branches, with the words NUCLEAR TEST MEDAL beneath. It was manufactured by Worcestershire Medal Service.
The ribbon has a central white stripe, with symmetrical stripes of yellow, black and red, and sky blue stripes on the out edge – the blue is intended to represent the sky and the sea in the Pacific, where the UK's nuclear tests took place.

Qualification

To qualify for the Nuclear Test Medal, individuals need to have served at locations where atmospheric testing took place during the UK's atomic and thermonuclear development programmes between 1952 and 1967, on one of the following test operations:

Operation HURRICANE – October 1952, Montebello Islands, Western Australia
Operation TOTEM – October 1953, Emu Field, South Australia
Operation MOSAIC – June 1956, Montebello Islands, Western Australia
Operation BUFFALO – September – October 1956, Maralinga, South Australia
Operation GRAPPLE – May 1957 – September 1958, Malden Island, Kiribati
Operation ANTLER – September – October 1957, Maralinga, South Australia

Although the UK did not conduct nuclear testing after 1957, eligibility for the medal covers not just participation in the tests themselves, but also in the preparation and clean-up phases. The medal can also be awarded to any UK personnel that participated in Operation DOMINIC, a series of atmospheric nuclear tests undertaken by the United States in locations including the island of Kiritimati between April and October 1962, as well as all UK Service and civilian personnel who served at the locations where American atmospheric nuclear tests took place, including under Operation BAGPIPES. The eligibility criteria has been expanded to include all UK Service and civilian personnel who deployed from the UK on operations to monitor atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by France and China, Foreign nationals who served at the locations where the UK atmospheric nuclear tests were conducted, including the preparatory and clear-up phases, between 1952 and 1967. To be awarded, the recipient should have served either as a member of the armed forces, or as civilian personnel in one of the named operational areas. Recipients from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Kiribati are also eligible. The medal can be awarded posthumously.