The BNTVA is delighted to share the details of arguably the most exciting and jam-packed Reunion it has hosted for many years on 10 August at the RAF Museum, Cosford, Shropshire. 

Tickets for this event can be purchased from the BNTVA online store https://bntva-shop.myshopify.com/collections/conference/Conference or by contacting the BNTVA by email at info@bntva.com and asking for a booking form. Please note prices quoted are  at a preferential rate for the current BNTVA Associate membership. Membership can also be purchased online at https://bntva-shop.myshopify.com/collections/membership/membership.

https://bntva-shop.myshopify.com/collections/conference/Conference

After arrival at the RAF Museum, tea/coffee and a cookie, the day will start with a guided tour of the Cold War Hangar. The British nuclear test veterans, their families and interested parties will meet Pete Sharp who restored the Vickers Valiant XD818 that dropped Britain’s first live H-bomb, Short Granite, on 15 May 1957 at Christmas Island. Some of these nuclear test veterans witnessed the bomb being dropped. XD818’s service at Christmas Island continued as she also orbited 50 miles from the drop position at Grapple Y (3-megaton device) on 28 April 1958, when the largest ever nuclear device was dropped by the British at Christmas Island. On 2 September 1958, XD818 acted as `grandstand' (observation) aircraft for the live drop at Grapple Z by Valiant XD822. 

Following a buffet lunch, attendees will be welcomed by Wing Commander Mason from RAF Cosford and hear from Squadron Leader John Robinson AFC (ret’d) who was both a pilot and cloud sampler at Operation Buffalo, Maralinga, 1956, and Operation Grapple, Christmas Island, 1957. 

Ian Sanders, creator, host and producer of the Cold War Conversations podcasts (The Cold War Conversations History Podcast – Recording the stories of the Cold War before they are lost…). will focus on the importance of hearing and recording Cold War stories. After a short break and refreshments, Jason Davidson and Pete Roch, directors of Squeaky Pedal (Squeaky Pedal - Award-winning documentaries and audio visual content.), award winning documentary and audio-visual film makers, will launch two short films which they have recently created for the BNTVA. These films focus on British nuclear test veterans’ oral histories after travelling around England and Scotland to carry out in-depth interviews with nuclear test veterans. 

Representatives from the RAF Benevolent Fund, who have contributed towards funding ex-RAF personnel at the Reunion, will talk about the help and support they provide to RAF veterans and their families, after which Dr Christoph Laucht, Associate Professor of History at Swansea University, will expound upon “Events prior to British nuclear testing c.1945-1952, Klaus Fuchs and Atomic Espionage”. 

Michelle Harding, BNTVA Secretary, enthusiastically carries out the BNTVA Living Histories’ Project and has collected many nuclear test veterans’ oral histories. Michelle will close the Reunion event by reading a chapter from John Folkes’, cloud sampler’s, upcoming book about his experiences at Maralinga followed by a short appeal for veterans’ oral histories. 

If you would like to attend, contact info@bntva.com or 0208 144 3080 before 2nd August.