Friday Morning Talks: ‘Up close to the Nuclear Bang’ – Brian Pearce and Brian Edwards

Join us for our Friday morning talk, where Brian Pearce will talk us through Operation Grapple, the first British tests of a thermonuclear weapon.  

In 1957 Brian Pearce was a midshipman and then a sub lieutenant serving on HMS Narvik. Narvik played a leading role in Operation Grapple, the first British tests of a thermonuclear weapon, on Malden Island in the South Pacific.  Although a seaman officer, upon arrival at Malden Island, Brian joined the team of meteorologists charged with tracking the possible and then actual direction of any fallout from the tests.

Operation Grapple established Britain as a world nuclear power and earned it a seat on the Security Council of the United Nations.

This era of history has become clouded with intrigue as the powers involved in the nuclear weapons race have sought to re-frame the narrative of how the events unfolded.

In this talk Brian gives first-hand insights into the lead up to the tests, the tests themselves and the aftermath of the tests, immediate and long term.

This talk will take place onsite in the Museum’s Learning Centre and is included in Museum admission or Annual Membership.

Advance booking required – please reserve your seat via the link below.

Reserve Your Place