IN THE WAKE OF ATOM BOMB

Chronicle (Levin), 11 July 1946, Page 4

IN THE WAKE OF ATOM BOMB

COLOURFUL ANP FANTASTIC CLQUD AUCKLAND., July 9. Hoav the first atoiu boigb was dropped ou target sliips iu Bikini Atoll on Jply 1 was deseribed yegferday by Mr. R. Symontown, teehuical assigta-nt to Dr. Comptoii, who was an observer -in a Skymaster which followed the boipb ^lane from Kwajalein to within nine miles of the target. . * "We had been bripfed the night before on: what was likely to happpn when the bomb- was dropped, but neyertheless we were all a litRe apprehensive- of the approaching tpst," klr. Symontown said, MWe kad all been igsued with dark glasges with strict instructions that they were on no account to be remoYed until after the blast. In \ addition, we were wearing parachntes | and life jackets. As we approached - | Bikini we heard over our. radio -that . : the bomb plane was almost over ,the ' target. ,''i I '"As eaeh message was received, a- W member of our crew repeated it for our ! beneflt, shouting to make himself heard ' . I above the noise of the engines. When | we were tpld ' coming down for bomb- ! ing run' we lcnew that we did not have ; long to wait. A few xninutes p.assed ; and the bomb plane radioed: 'Bombs away. ' j "Immediately we pulled our dark- ' red goggles on and covered our faces j with our arms for added protection | from the unknown rays, ' ' Mr. Symo.n- ! town eontinued. "The shock of the ! explosion did not seem to shake our plane in the slightest, and we. were goon told that it was safe to look. In spite 1 of this, some of us were not taking ! any risks, and kept our arms over our eyes for several minutes longer than was pro bably neeessary. j "When 1 ventured a look at last, the ' huge synimetrical column was already ; thousands of feet high and rapidly growing. We had missed the brilliant. flash which followed the explosion, but could see fire from the target ships at

Ihe foot of the smoke several miles away. It was now safe for observing planes to move closer, and our Skymaster flew to within nine miles of Bikini. "Nearer the atoll we had an excellent view of the great cheese-like cloud. jnushrooming high above us. The column was a creamy white eolour. tinged with pink, red apd purple. Soon after the umbrella top had billowed out it assumed a rust cqlour which seientifie observers thought mi-ght be oxidised -iron particles. "Pive minutes after the bomb had been dropped, the enornious cloud rose clear of the atoll aud the burning ships were exposed to view. While we were watching, several of the radio-controlled Super-Fortresses passed near us, and from one a paraehute with instruments fluttered down to the sea below. The radio-active cloud began to spread. making it dangerous for us to repiaiD in the vicinity, so xve headed back for ; lvwajajeip. * "The day after the bomb was drop- ' ped we returned to Bikini by sea and went aboard several of the erippled ships," Mr. Symontown eontinued. . ' ' The damage was not as devastating 1 as the world might have been led to believe, but it was disastrous enough. We were told that as a result of the . test it is likely that the design of superstruetures of warships will be considerably modifled. "