GO Justice

In studying history, it is always the lived experiences of individuals that intrigues me the most. Therefore, I was enthusiastic about the opportunity to conduct an interview with a veteran of the Nuclear Test programme and hear his story. I was struck profoundly by his extraordinary experiences, particularly as these men (boys!) were only a few years younger than I am now when they were deployed on the programme. The veteran’s recollection of everyday experiences was particularly fascinating. He provided descriptions of the relationships built with those he lived alongside and how the places he visited broadened his perspective and enriched his life in so many ways. Yet, there was a cost, these experiences were had under conditions of significant risk of which the veterans were unaware of at the time. This led me to question how the undermining of young men’s lives was rationalised and documented in the official record.

That is why I was so keen to get involved with the Nuclear Justice campaign through the Centre for People’s Justice, more specifically the Merlin Project. Upon hearing about the declassification of the Merlin files, I approached Dr Jonathan Hogg, my supervisor and reader in 20th Century History, with the aim to join the Merlin Project, to turn my curiosity into something meaningful and find out some of the answers for myself. The project quickly revealed the injustices that happened during the test programme and which continue to be experienced by the Nuclear Test Veterans even today. For example, the withholding of medical records and the absence of compensation from the British Government.

The Merlin Project has not only allowed me to nurture my own personal interest in this topic but provided me with the privilege of being part of a campaign group which is actively making discoveries that support veterans’ experiences which have previously been discounted. Not only this, but the opportunity to work alongside likeminded individuals on a weekly basis, who care not only what the files are telling us but also how the findings can be used to have a very real impact on veterans and their descendants. I believe this is a real strength of the project.

The stakeholder event held on the 8th June 2026 is a key example of this. Collating and presenting my findings to campaign leaders, stakeholders and veterans themselves allowed me to experience first-hand the impact that my involvement in the project was having. Not only contributing to the progress of the project but demonstrating to veterans that their sacrifice is recognised and their suffering validated. Furthermore, the opportunity to hear from other students and campaign leaders as well as Alan Owen, the founder of LABRATS, highlighted the value of collaborative work within a social justice project and how this has generated insights which may have gone unnoticed under different circumstances.

This project has highlighted to me how pursuing personal interests within a strong collaborative framework can result in a meaningful impact, one which will stay with me long after I leave university.

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First published: 24 July 2026