War veterans hail news on radiation tests
August 23, 2001
HULL DAILY MAIL
Campaigning war veterans have received a breakthrough thanks to new research which shows exposure to depleted uranium has damaged their genetic make-up.
Eight veterans were tested at the World Depleted Uranium Centre in Berlin,
where experts found they had damaged chromosomes which could be a result of
exposure to ionising radiation from DU weapons. The study is a breakthrough
in the veteran's long fight to gain official recognition from the Government and
the Ministry of Defence of the health problems they have suffered since serving
in the Gulf War and the Balkans.
Gulf War veteran Ray Bristow, from Lindengate Avenue, east Hull, was among several tested during the independent research.
It shows that Mr Bristow and two others have significantly raised levels of abnormal chromosomes and recommends that further studies are undertaken.
The veterans have suffered from numerous health problems and Mr Bristow has recently been diagnosed with monoclonal gammopathy, which can lead to a rare form of cancer that is linked with exposure to nuclear bombs.
But Mr Bristow, 43, who believes he was contaminated while handling medical casualties said: "I now have significant proven fact that radiation has caused us damage. We have all the facilities available to do these tests in the United Kingdom. I feel it is an absolute disgrace that veterans have got to go all the way to Canada and Germany to get these tests."
Mr Bristow plans to present the research to the International Court of Human Rights.