Operation Plumbbob
1957
Canadian Atomic Veterans
Kenneth Umpherville
Kenneth Umpherville found us and sent the following email.
From: Kenneth R Umpherville kennethu@telusplanet.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: plumbbob nevada test site 1957
Hi,
I too served on exercise Plumbbob. I was with a platoon from the 1 Queens Own Rifles of Canada attached to the first Battle Group 112 Infantry Regiment 4 US Infantry Division. The last shot that we participated in was "Shot Smoky" Aug 1957.
I would be interested to hear from anyone who participated in exercise Plumbbob.
In Comradeship:
Kenneth Umpherville
Email: kennethu@telusplanet.net
Notice: Kenneth sent us an email letting us know atomic veterans in Canada now have a new website.Canadian Atomic Veterans
Keith Whittle
July 3, 1998
Update: August 13, 1999
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1999
To: Keith pdxavets@aracnet.com
From: Kenneth R Umpherville kennethu@telusplanet.net
Subject: Fwd: Australia '99
Hi Keith
The following message is self explanitory, I thought you might like to know
what is going on,as to why I wanted to comunicate with the president of
naav, and I also wanted to thank you for the information and your prompt
reply. Please let me have your thoughts on our endeavors !!
Kenneth
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999
From: "Rev. Laurence G. Deverall BA" deveralll@HG.uleth.ca
To: Kenneth Umpherville kennethu@telusplanet.net
Subject: Australia '99
Yeshua Mashiach Promotions
Ganai Sharon Box 49
Diamond City, AB, T0K 0T0
CANADA
ph/fax 403 381:4394
e-mail deveralll@uleth.ca
August 9, 1999
All Nuclear Test Veteran's/Victims Organizations
Dear Fellow Nuclear Exposee:
Appended please find an invitation to a meeting of nuclear veterans in
Australia. Ken Umpherville, Robert Campbell and myself have agreed we
should attempt to implement the instructions contained in the
resolution passed at our Conference here at the University of Lethbridge
in 1995. This resolution was to form an international organization to
further our cause for veterans pension claims and compensation for
injuries arising from the nuclear testing following WWII.
One reason for forming such an organization was to obtain Non
Governmental Organization (NGO) status with the UN. One important
advantage NGO status gives us, quite apart from political clout with the
UN, is funding for our activities; a very important consideration in
today's tight economy.
The following letter is self explanatory, so I will not repeat it
here. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours in the Cause.
Rev. Laurence G. Deverall
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO ANY GROUP OR
ORGANIZATION FIGHTING FOR THE RECOGNITION OF NUCLEAR VICTIMS
THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR TEST VETERANS AND
ATOMIC BOMB SURVIVORS CONFERENCE 1995
August 1, 1999
Dear Fellow Nuclear Veteran:
At the 1995 International conference, held at the University of
Lethbridge, a resolution was proposed by the delegation from Great
Britain, that an international organization be formed to represent our
veterans before the United Nations. The objective of this organization
would be, to obtain NGO (Non-Government Organization) status from the
United Nations and thus gain greater power to further Cause: Justice
from our respective governments. This resolution was passed
unanimously.
It was pointed out, by those legal minds present, that our efforts to
obtain satisfaction from the governments responsible for our suffering,
had largely been unsuccessful and very little progress was to be
expected in the future. The last four years have certainly shown the
truth of this statement. In the interim period many more of our people
have died, and we are, it seems, not much nearer our goal, than we were
in 1995.
A visit was made to the 1997 BNTVA AGM by Dr. Oscar Rosen, representing
NAAV, and Rev. Laurence Deverall, representing CAVA, to initiate the
formation of an international organization. However, the BNTVA
leadership felt they were near a breakthrough with their case before the
European Human Rights Commission, and supposed that such an
international organization as was envisaged by them two years before
would not help their cause. While this supposition may be true for them,
it is certainly not the case for other victims of nuclear testing. One
Utah Downwinder has just suffered pituitary gland failure, and is now on
special medication to keep her alive. This drug therapy is costing over
$800 US a month. I am sure that this sad case could be duplicated
thousands of times over.
Having in mind the lateness of the hour and the declining numbers of
our membership, we have determined that another effort should be made to
establish such an organization. To this end, we have approached The
Atomic Ex-Servicemen's Association of Australia to hold a meeting at the
time of their AGM. I am pleased to report that Mr. Terry Toon, National
Secretary, of the AESA, has kindly agreed to host a meeting following
their AGM. This meeting will be held in the afternoon of Sunday,
November 28 at the Riverwood Legion Club, NSW. Riverwood, is I
understand, close to, if not part of Sydney.
We are expecting Mr Ian Anderson, the BNTVA legal counsel to the ECU
Human Rights Commission and to the UN, to attend, as well as
representatives from Canadian and USA organizations. It would be
appreciated if you could send a representative from your organization to
attend this meeting. United together we can accomplish our objectives;
divided, our governments will continue to treat us as nothing more than
a bunch of belligerent old squaddies, and consign our legitimate demands
to the trash can.
Please find appended a copy of a proposed agenda. We look forward to
your participation.
See you in Big Ozz.
Rev. Laurence G. Deverall
cc: To all known nuclear veterans/victims organizations
Proposed Agenda for Meeting of International Nuclear Test Veterans
Riverwood, New South Wales, Australia
November 28 1999
1) Reading of Resolution passed by the First International Conference
of Nuclear Test Veterans and Atomic Bomb Survivors of held at the
University of Lethbridge, Alberta, CANADA in June 1995.
2) Adoption of Resolution to create a permanent international
organization to represent nuclear test veterans, atomic bomb survivors,
their widows and dependents, before the United Nations.
3) Adoption of a resolution to seek Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)
status with the United Nations.
4) Election of Officers of the new international organization. (Suggest
that all duly elected leaders of national organizations be automatically
members of the new organization, or such persons appointed to represent
them)
5) Establishment of a committee to begin the work of obtaining NGO
status.
6) Appointment of Legal Counsel to represent us before United Nations
and to obtain papers, etc.
7) Adoption of resolution to tax member organizations to pay for
application to UN, etc.
8) Any other business.
9) Date and venue of next meeting
[ Operation Plumbbob ]