A CATSHILL veteran, who was exposed to dangerous levels of radiation on Christmas Island during the nuclear tests in the 1950s, fears his cancer will end his life before he gets to see justice.

Barry Smith, aged 69, says he wants compensation in the form of a war pension from the Ministry of Defence after spending a year on Christmas Island where the nuclear bomb tests were carried out.

But after waiting 11-and-a-half months for a hearing into his case, which was due to be heard at the Priory Courts in Birmingham on January 21, his tribunal was postponed.

The Wildmore Lane resident was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in November 2007, and sent off a claim form to the MoD as he believed his illness is linked to his spell on the South Pacific island. When he was turned down in February 2008, he lodged an appeal.

Barry said: “I struggled to get to the hearing, only to be told it was delayed, and then that they couldn’t do the case. I’m on my death bed and I don’t think I will make the next hearing.

“I do not want sympathy, what I want is justice.”

Aged 16, Barry flew out to Christmas Island in October 1959 to work as the camp barber for the RAF.

Although tests weren’t conducted while he was on the island, he travelled across the area and was exposed to radioactive fall out.

Barry says science has subsequently proved that the exposure to the fallout has led to his cancer, but he is having to prove this to the MoD.

He argues that his condition is recognised in America and their veterans are compensated.

“I don’t know when the case will be heard, but I’m not going to give up. My family say they will pick up the case after I’m gone,” he said.

l In a separate action last week nearly 1,000 veterans took the Ministry of Defence to the High Court claiming they have suffered illness as a result of the tests.