Ex-543 Sqn Concerns
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Texas
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Radiation concerns
I was ground crew on 543 sqn from 1967 to disbandment in 1974.
iwas involved in washing and cleaning contaminated aircraft on there return from Peru sniffing sorties.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma for which I am undergoing chemotherapy every two weeks.
This cancer is not curable,it can only be kept in check for a number years, no one knows how long.
If I can be of any assistance please don't he hesitate to contact me.
sincerely,
graham rumbellow
iwas involved in washing and cleaning contaminated aircraft on there return from Peru sniffing sorties.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma for which I am undergoing chemotherapy every two weeks.
This cancer is not curable,it can only be kept in check for a number years, no one knows how long.
If I can be of any assistance please don't he hesitate to contact me.
sincerely,
graham rumbellow
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Cambridgeshire
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Ephesus543
I too was on 543 until '74 when I went to 39 at the other end of the runway. I conversed with EX-DF, thread starter, when he first posted but since then have no further info regarding his case or the other cases he mentions. Going to private message you a URL as I can't do that in this post 'cos I'm too much of a newbie still for that to be allowed. I didn't do any washdowns, I would remember that, but I did do one Peru detachment but other than that had little to do with the sniffers other than general handling on the deck at Wyton.
I too was on 543 until '74 when I went to 39 at the other end of the runway. I conversed with EX-DF, thread starter, when he first posted but since then have no further info regarding his case or the other cases he mentions. Going to private message you a URL as I can't do that in this post 'cos I'm too much of a newbie still for that to be allowed. I didn't do any washdowns, I would remember that, but I did do one Peru detachment but other than that had little to do with the sniffers other than general handling on the deck at Wyton.
Join Date: Mar 2019
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Leukaemia??
I was ground crew on 543 sqn from 1967 to disbandment in 1974.
iwas involved in washing and cleaning contaminated aircraft on there return from Peru sniffing sorties.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma for which I am undergoing chemotherapy every two weeks.
This cancer is not curable,it can only be kept in check for a number years, no one knows how long.
If I can be of any assistance please don't he hesitate to contact me.
sincerely,
graham rumbellow
iwas involved in washing and cleaning contaminated aircraft on there return from Peru sniffing sorties.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma for which I am undergoing chemotherapy every two weeks.
This cancer is not curable,it can only be kept in check for a number years, no one knows how long.
If I can be of any assistance please don't he hesitate to contact me.
sincerely,
graham rumbellow
My name is Mike Rapley and I was on 543, 1970 to 1974, as a sooty. I distinctly remember spending hours washing down the aircraft, post Peru, wearing just a spot suit and wellies and more importantly we were never checked for any radiation. I am now 74 years old and have recently been undergoing two bone marrow tests , I've had to have two as the first one wasn't conclusive evidence but from what my Consultant Haemotologist is saying is that I could have Acute Myeloid Leukaemia and they are discussing what treatment I could be offered.
When this was first highlighted I did mention the exposure to radiation and the conclusion is that it could be related. It was this that started me researching the topic and stumbled across your post and I'm of the mind that it is not a coincidence! Are you aware of any other of our colleagues that are suffering?
If you do get to read this then thank you for your time and if you would like to respond to me directly my email is [email protected].
An interesting topic and thanks for your time.
Regards
Mike Rapley
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Reading, UK
Age: 87
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Hello All,
Been some time since I posted. I did 30 yrs in the Mob Met Unit (ended up as SLOPS).
I'm looking for the Op name(s) for the sampling Dets/dates to Shemya, Adak, Midway, Lima, and the ship-borne S Pacific sampling/monitoring. I'm going to try to access the files in The National Archives (TNA). A number of my Met blokes were on those Dets (both in uniform, and as civvies).
But just as a matter of interest several of my blokes (can't confirm they were on sampling Dets) died from various cancers. However, one (an ex-WW2 Met Recce MAO) has only just died aged 94. A second (another ex-WW2 Met Recce MAO) is still with us - in his mid-90's, and a third (who did Montebello and Christmas Island, etc) is, as far as I know, still with us.
I would appreciate any help with names/dates, etc. TNA make it quite difficult to get at the appropriate files (there's FOI 'hoops' to jump through!) so it would help if I got the titles correct!
TIA
Remoroh
Been some time since I posted. I did 30 yrs in the Mob Met Unit (ended up as SLOPS).
I'm looking for the Op name(s) for the sampling Dets/dates to Shemya, Adak, Midway, Lima, and the ship-borne S Pacific sampling/monitoring. I'm going to try to access the files in The National Archives (TNA). A number of my Met blokes were on those Dets (both in uniform, and as civvies).
But just as a matter of interest several of my blokes (can't confirm they were on sampling Dets) died from various cancers. However, one (an ex-WW2 Met Recce MAO) has only just died aged 94. A second (another ex-WW2 Met Recce MAO) is still with us - in his mid-90's, and a third (who did Montebello and Christmas Island, etc) is, as far as I know, still with us.
I would appreciate any help with names/dates, etc. TNA make it quite difficult to get at the appropriate files (there's FOI 'hoops' to jump through!) so it would help if I got the titles correct!
TIA
Remoroh
Join Date: Oct 2023
Location: Chipping Sodbury
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543 m
This my first post on pprune - normally on E-Goat but dip my toe in your water now and again, if you pardon the expression! I felt I hag to join Pprune today to post this.
I received the following from a member of my Halton Entry.
The content is both disturbing and poinient.
If anyone has any knowlegde or info, pm me and I will forward the mail th Chris.
<<<
Good morning everybody and a very Happy Easter to one and all.
I have just received a very disturbing email from an old colleague who served on 543 Squadron. Not to put too fine a point on it and to get straight the point, it seems that there is an unbelievably high incidence of various forms of cancer rearing its ugly head among ex Squadron members, both ground and air crews, particularly among those of us who were unlucky enough to have to work on, fly in, or clean, aircraft which had been detached to Peru air sampling after the various atomic tests which took place in the South Pacific late 60s, early 70s. The most disturbing part is that it doesn't only affect direct personnel, both their family members too. You may recall that Nessa and our lost our youngest, Charlotte, through leukaemia. Radiation sickness can work through genetic means too. Those aircraft were when they came back from Peru, literally red hot radioactive. None of us was ever given any protective clothing, dosimeters or any warnings about the hazards from the aircraft. People on the detachments used to simply change the filter baskets without any protection. When the aircraft were washed at home, the contaminated water was just allowed to run down the drains with no thought as to where the stuff would end up. All we got was a rubber Zoot Suit and a pair of wellies. We were not even told to shower thoroughly afterwards or even to wash our hands before eating from the NAAFI Wagon which came out to us on the wash pan, or before having a fag!.
So an important question has to be asked. Did anyone from the 204th other than me and Mick Elliott ever get posted to 543? Or do any of you know anyone other than us two who were stationed at Wyton on 543 at any time? If you do, can you please let me know who they are and where they can be contacted. There is a scheme being put together by some retired Group Captain to take the MOD to the cleaners over this. There have been vast numbers of deaths already either directly or indirectly resulting from the MOD's callousness in the simple matter of protecting personnel from danger. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 3rd in Birmingham for about 12 cases. I've just been informed that I too have a case which must be answered by the MOD.
Please chaps, put your thinking caps on and if you can think of anything which may help, get immediately back in touch with me with any info which you may have. I cannot stress stringly enough the importance of this. It could be a matter of life and death. The guy who has contacted me is suffering from Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma which if you don't already know is a type of leukaemia related cancer affecting the lymphatic system.
Thanks lads. Bless you all.
Chris the Sage >>>
Thanks all
I received the following from a member of my Halton Entry.
The content is both disturbing and poinient.
If anyone has any knowlegde or info, pm me and I will forward the mail th Chris.
<<<
Good morning everybody and a very Happy Easter to one and all.
I have just received a very disturbing email from an old colleague who served on 543 Squadron. Not to put too fine a point on it and to get straight the point, it seems that there is an unbelievably high incidence of various forms of cancer rearing its ugly head among ex Squadron members, both ground and air crews, particularly among those of us who were unlucky enough to have to work on, fly in, or clean, aircraft which had been detached to Peru air sampling after the various atomic tests which took place in the South Pacific late 60s, early 70s. The most disturbing part is that it doesn't only affect direct personnel, both their family members too. You may recall that Nessa and our lost our youngest, Charlotte, through leukaemia. Radiation sickness can work through genetic means too. Those aircraft were when they came back from Peru, literally red hot radioactive. None of us was ever given any protective clothing, dosimeters or any warnings about the hazards from the aircraft. People on the detachments used to simply change the filter baskets without any protection. When the aircraft were washed at home, the contaminated water was just allowed to run down the drains with no thought as to where the stuff would end up. All we got was a rubber Zoot Suit and a pair of wellies. We were not even told to shower thoroughly afterwards or even to wash our hands before eating from the NAAFI Wagon which came out to us on the wash pan, or before having a fag!.
So an important question has to be asked. Did anyone from the 204th other than me and Mick Elliott ever get posted to 543? Or do any of you know anyone other than us two who were stationed at Wyton on 543 at any time? If you do, can you please let me know who they are and where they can be contacted. There is a scheme being put together by some retired Group Captain to take the MOD to the cleaners over this. There have been vast numbers of deaths already either directly or indirectly resulting from the MOD's callousness in the simple matter of protecting personnel from danger. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 3rd in Birmingham for about 12 cases. I've just been informed that I too have a case which must be answered by the MOD.
Please chaps, put your thinking caps on and if you can think of anything which may help, get immediately back in touch with me with any info which you may have. I cannot stress stringly enough the importance of this. It could be a matter of life and death. The guy who has contacted me is suffering from Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma which if you don't already know is a type of leukaemia related cancer affecting the lymphatic system.
Thanks lads. Bless you all.
Chris the Sage >>>
Thanks all
Join Date: Oct 2023
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543 Sqdn Nuclear Detachments
Can anyone remember operation Webb. I think it was around 1972, 1973 time but may have been later it may be the name of one of the sorties carried out on one of the detachments.
Still fighting for a war medal for 543 personnel. Will try and keep anyone interested in the picture so far.
Still fighting for a war medal for 543 personnel. Will try and keep anyone interested in the picture so far.
