Scots veteran awarded commemorative medal by UK Government in recognition of selfless service

dailyrecord.co.uk:

An Erskine veteran has been awarded a commemorative medal by the UK Government in recognition of his selfless service during nuclear testing on Christmas Island in the 1950s.

At a special ceremony, Jackson Hasson, a resident of The Erskine Home in Bishopton, was surrounded by his family and friends as the Nuclear Test Veterans Medal was presented to him, on behalf of His Majesty King Charles III, by the Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire Colonel Peter McCarthy.

The 86-year-old was just 21 when he joined the Royal Engineers as part of his National Service. He was subsequently assigned to the 73rd Christmas Island Squadron, which saw him travel over 8,000 miles from Glasgow to a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.During his time on Christmas Island, Jackson bore witness to two atomic bombs and three hydrogen bombs detonating just 20 miles offshore, whilst wearing nothing more than swimming shorts for protection.The magnitude of these tests, with the first atomic bomb, Grapple X, being 140 times the size of the Hiroshima bomb, lays bare the immense risks servicemen faced during these Cold War experiments.Lesley Hasson, Jackson’s youngest daughter, said: “This is something he will be incredibly proud to be able to share with his friends and family, including his eight grandchildren and his great-grandson.“My own children are 20 years old, and it’s humbling to think of what an important service my dad and all these other servicemen were selflessly involved in for their country when they were all similar ages to my own kids now.” Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Jackson served as one of two engineers responsible for maintaining the