RAF veteran from West Raynham ‘very proud’ to receive Nuclear Test Medal decades later

An 80-year-old RAF veteran has finally received a medal in recognition of his services to the armed forces.

Malcolm Strange, of West Raynham, served at the Maralinga Range in Australia during a nuclear testing programme in 1962.

Campaigners have fought a long battle to get the servicemen who took part a medal and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has finally issued them.

Malcolm said: “They have been fighting since the 1950s for a medal for nuclear test veterans.

“There was campaigning at Downing Street and it was Boris Johnson who agreed we should be awarded one.

“I’m very proud to have received it now after all these years.

“There’s not many of us left, there was 22,000 involved in the nuclear campaigns. We are down to the last 2,000 now.”

With the agreement of the Australian government, Britain tested atomic weapons at three sites on Australian territory, including Maralinga in South Australia.

The testing took place from 1952 to 1963, mostly at Maralinga.

Malcolm spent a year at Maralinga, working in supplies.

“I collected things from the railway and airport, and took them to the scientists at the front line,” said Malcolm.

“I was a 19-year-old at the time, it was very exciting travelling many, many miles away,” he added.

“It took six days to get there by plane in those days.”

Malcolm also served at a number of RAF bases in the UK, including RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk.

The Nuclear Test Medal was issued by King Charles in time for the Remembrance Day services.