Medal for Norwich RAF veteran who served on Christmas Island

John Yaxley, who lives in Sprowston, was "over the moon" when his Nuclear Test Medal arrived in the post.

The 85-year-old served as a chef for the officer's mess on the Pacific island of Kiritimati, also known as Christmas Island.

The government issued medals last year to recognise the service of the personnel involved in the testing of atomic and hydrogen bombs in the 1950s and 1960s.

Mr Yaxley was over the moon when the medal arrived in the post (Image: Denise Bradley)

"It is a really nice gesture," Mr Yaxley said.

"I received a veterans badge alongside the medal, which is very special."

Mr Yaxley joined the RAF as an 18-year-old in 1957 and was posted to Christmas Island a year later.

Mr Yaxley made friends with Moto, who was sent to serve on Christmas Island from the nearby Gilbert and Ellice Islands (Image: John Yaxley)

He is one of around 2,000 veterans who served on the island believed to still be alive - and one of the even fewer to have witnessed the last atomic bomb test there in 1958.

Some who served there have campaigned for compensation due to ill-health but Mr Yaxley mainly has positive memories.

"It was unbelievable," said Mr Yaxley. "There was an outdoor cinema, we had football teams, we could go swimming in the lagoon.

"We could sit on the beach in our sunglasses and watch the bombs going off in the distance.

"It was completely different to any other kind of service."

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Mr Yaxley's son, Colin, saw that the veterans and families of those who served on Christmas Island during the nuclear testing could apply for the medals, which recognise their service.

Mr Yaxley was 18 when he joined the RAF (Image: John Yaxley)

A picture of a bomb test at Christmas Island (Image: Royal Air Force)

They applied and the medal arrived in the post shortly after Christmas.

"My entire life, my dad has gone on about his time on Christmas Island," he said.

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"It is quite shocking what happened during the nuclear testing there, but lots of people didn't realise it at the time.

"He loved being there and will go on about his time on Christmas Island until he is blue in the face."

Mr Yaxley had several photos of his time on Christmas Island (Image: John Yaxley)

Atomic testing in the Pacific

Kiritimati is an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean that the British Military used for atomic bomb testing between 1956 and 1962.

Around 20,000 British servicemen were posted to the island during this time.

Operation Grapple, between 1957 and 1958, saw nine nuclear explosions taking place just off the shore of the island. 

Those that served as part of the nuclear testing in the 1950s and 60s can apply for the medal (Image: Denise Bradley)

Some who served have claimed they suffered health problems due to the consequences of the work and campaigners took a "letter before action" to Downing Street amid the threat of taking legal action against the Ministry of Defence.

Part of the accusations is that military medical records are missing but the MOD insist that no information has been withheld and that no-fault compensation claims can be applied for under the War Pensions Scheme.