ITEM 14 - AGENT ORANGE IN CANADA

Mr Bill Dixon-Dodds is a County Welfare Caseworker (Notts & Derbys), for The Royal British Legion. In June this year he was made aware by ex service colleagues in Canada that the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards had served at Base Gagetown, New Brunswick, Canada in June/July 1966. During this time the Canadian Dept of Defence, together with the US Dept of Defence, sprayed Agent Orange over parts of the training area at Gagetown.

Mr Dixon-Dodds has thoroughly investigated this and says 'it's like an onion, the more you peel, the more you find'. The issue has become a hot potato in Canada with many soldiers and Civilians suffering from the effects of this spraying. Further investigation has uncovered that other agents. Agents White and Purple have also been sprayed on Gagetown from 1952 until 1984. This may now have repercussions for more than one unit.

With the help of his Canadian colleagues, Mr Dixon-Dodds has identified the following Engineer Units that could have been affected:

       24 Fd Sqn RE - date unknown                     

       32 Fd Sqn RE (Summer 1964 & 1967)

       48 Fd Sqn RE (Summer 1966)                     

       49 Fd Sqn RE (Summer 1965)                    

       50 Fd Sqn RE (Construction) (23 May - 9 Oct 1981)

       53 Fd Sqn RE (Date unknown)                      

       9 Para Sqn RE (Summer 1986)                       

       39 Engr Regt RE (1 June-4 Sept 1980)               

       69 Indep Ghurkha Sqn (Summer 1986)

These agents are highly carcinogenic with many serious medical conditions resulting. There has been no publicity in the United Kingdom. Mr Dixon-Dodds has managed to bring a report that he has completed to the attention of the Royal British Legion Directorship. He hopes that ex service personnel can be contacted with a view to looking at any serious medical conditions that they may have. Mr Dixon-Dodds asks that we give the matter maximum publicity throughout our ex service community. If you require further detail, or are concerned that you may be suffering from the effects of Agents Orange, White or Purple you should contact Bill Dixon-Dodds.

His contact details are:

Email: Billl324@ntlworld.com

Telephone: 01623 409479