Nuclear Test Medal

To qualify for the Nuclear Test Medal, individuals need to have served at locations where atmospheric testing took place during the UK's atomic and thermonuclear development programmes between 1952 and 1967, on one of the following test operations:

• Operation HURRICANE – October 1952, Montebello Islands, Western Australia
• Operation TOTEM – October 1953, Emu Field, South Australia
• Operation MOSAIC – June 1956, Montebello Islands, Western Australia
• Operation BUFFALO – September – October 1956, Maralinga, South Australia
• Operation GRAPPLE – May 1957 – September 1958, Malden Island, Kiribati
• Operation ANTLER – September – October 1957, Maralinga, South Australia

Although the UK did not conduct nuclear testing after 1957, eligibility for the medal covers not just participation in the tests themselves, but also in the preparation and clean-up phases.^{[note 1][5]} The medal can also be awarded to any UK personnel that participated in Operation DOMINIC, a series of atmospheric nuclear tests undertaken by the United States in locations including the island of Kiritimati between April and October 1962, as well as all UK Service and civilian personnel who served at the locations where American atmospheric nuclear tests took place, including under Operation BAGPIPES (1954). The eligibility criteria has been expanded to include all UK Service and civilian personnel who deployed from the UK on operations to monitor atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by France and China (to 1974 and 1980 respectively), Foreign nationals who served at the locations where the UK atmospheric nuclear tests were conducted, including the preparatory and clear-up phases, between 1952 and 1967.^[5] To be awarded, the recipient should have served either as a member of the armed forces, or as civilian personnel in one of the named operational areas.^{[note 2]} Recipients from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Kiribati are also eligible. The medal can be awarded posthumously.^[4]