CHRISTMAS (KIRITIMATI) ISLAND BOMB TESTS

 GRAPPLE - PETER LATHAM

Peter Latham was in the RAF or Royal Air Force and worked in administration. By trade, he was a joiner (carpenter) and worked on the building of the church on Christmas island during the 1950s. The first church was made of timber and palm leaves and was blown away during one of the bomb tests. Subsequently, a new church was built from stone or coral collected from the beach. The church was built jointly by the British Army and the RAF.

Bomb testing (Grapple), Christmas Island

     

Left: Reading the newspaper from his hometown of Hull,
Yorkshire, England, Peter Latham (right) and a fellow British soldier
Right: Peter Latham on the beach at Christmas Island
Photos: Courtesy of Peter Latham

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(E-mail: jane@janeresture.com -- Rev. 1st January 2009)