SOMERTON MAN MYSTERY: WOOMERA FROM WHEN IT ALL STARTED... A SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BACKDROP

 

PROJECT FALSTAFF

A great deal was happening in South Australia prior to and through the year 1948. This book by Michael Wohltman provides us with an insight into just how Government Departments covered up the development of the Woomera Rocket Range and the preparations for the nearby Atomic Tests

The book cover you see above is the story of Woomera but not quite the one you might expect. Shrouded in secrecy, controversy not to mention skullduggery. This book, written by Michael Wohltman is a fascinating account of the dealings and sometimes double dealings behind the establishment of the Woomera range. 

Michael has kindly given me permission to publish a part of Chapter 4 from the book which I am sure everyone will find interesting and quite intriguing containing as it does some explosive information about... Well maybe I will leave you to read it for yourselves:

CHAPTER 4...

This Chapter provides a fresh view regarding the uranium resource in the South Australian context and considers its importance in both the atomic/nuclear age and the Joint Project. Richard Broinowski, makes the observation that:

For more than three decades Australian politicians and military, scientific and cabinet officials conducted a campaign to persuade the government of the day to acquire or develop nuclear weapons. The fact is that Australia has the resources and technology to develop its own nuclear weapons".

Both Uranium and the Joint Project need to be viewed in this light. From the Australian perspective, our government believed that the Joint Project operations and the military spending would allow Australia to link to atomic capability and the possibility of acquiring atomic/nuclear weapons. Like the Joint Project, uranium exploration was always predicated for military weapons development. Uranium gave Australia entry into the nuclear club.

As we saw earlier, in 1944, the British government approached PM Curtin to brief him on the atomic bomb effort and the pressing need for Australian uranium for 'Empire and war purposes. On 2 July 1944, had issued a cable from the British Chancellor of Exchequer to PM Curtin, stating:

"That the United Kingdom Government would wish to arrange for the purchase of all uranium concentrates produced in Australia. The Chancellor's letter continues. I confirm that this project is absolutely essential and therefore one which in spite of the manpower position in Australia we should wish to press the Commonwealth Government to undertake immediately."

In 1944, Australia entered the nuclear arena by supplying uranium for use in the Manhattan Project in the United States. There was further controversy when newspapers reported that Australian uranium was contained in the bombs that were dropped on Japan. For the next month, the Australian press sought answers from the Commonwealth government on whether South Australian uranium was used in the dropping of the bombs on Japan.

The government rode out the political storm and denied any wrongdoings. Even though, the historical evidence suggests that the Belgian Congo was the main, established supplier of uranium and in 1940, some thirty tons of uranium ore had been shipped from the Belgian Congo to New York, for eventual use in the Manhattan Project. This still remains an open question.

Britain's request for uranium ore was a direct result of the McMahon Act, and she feared that access to uranium ore would be restricted. Hence the urgent request to the Australian government. Nuclear cooperation between Great Britain and the United States ceased with the McMahon Act of 1946 so Britain started developing its own nuclear arsenal as protection against the Soviet threat.

This resulted in Britain, offering to buy at guaranteed prices, small quantities of uranium found in the Empire, which resulted in the expansion of uranium in South Australia. There were newspaper stories written in The Daily Telegraph, that stated

'As a contribution to research on the atomic bomb, Australia mined uranium, the material from which the bomb derived its energy. The element was taken from an abandoned shaft at Mt. Painter, in an inaccessible part of the Flinders Ranges, in South Australia. Mining was one of Australia's most guarded war secrets. The project, developed by the South Australian Government, was undertaken regardless of cost. The material from which the mineral was extracted was carried by camel to the railhead.'

Atomic issues dominated the Cold War era with massive stockpiling of atomic weapons by the superpowers with other countries like Britain, France China, acquiring atomic capabilities. Australia's keen interest in atomic weapons and nuclear technology needs to be viewed from the standpoint of our alliances with both the UK and the US. Australia's imperative subservience to both the 'mother Country and the 'new-found powerful friend' was also extended to the supplying of both UK and the US with uranium, for their weapons programs.

Australia's reserves of uranium were a source of national pride, clinching the emerging nation's status as a place of importance in the post-war period. Australia's involvement in both uranium and atomic technology meant industrial progress, bringing Australia into the modern world.

From September 1945 to February 1946, the Commonwealth government sent the Australian Scientific Mission to Japan. This was led by Brigadier JWA O'Brien, whose task was to secure scientific, technical and industrial information, from Japan, as part of war reparations. Representatives of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research [CSIR] and the Departments of Aircraft Production and Mineral Resources Survey, were also represented.

The resulting report indicated benefits to be gained in about a dozen areas. Some fields in which the Japanese were advanced, included aeronautical engineering, magnetic steels, and geophysical work.

These findings benefitted Australia in its quest for nation-building projects and developing atomic technology. Within hours the Australian government put out a press release and argued that only a small quantity of

Australian uranium had been shipped to Britain, not enough to produce an atomic bomb. There is fresh evidence that sheds new light on why Australia was kept out of the atomic loop.

Darren Holden's research uncovered talks about a high-ranking meeting between Oliphant, Nobel laureate Ernest Lawrence, and General Groves who was in charge of the military operations

of the Manhattan Project. At this meeting, General Groves stated that atomic research would not be shared with the British and that the Americans were planning to double-cross the British after the war by restricting the manufacture and storage of nuclear materials in North America.

Oliphant reported the US intentions to both the British Embassy and the Australian government. This is an important development, as has serious implications for both Britain and Australia.

For Britain, it contravened the Quebec Agreement and Britain would have to go it alone. The Quebec Agreement between Britain and the United States was signed in August 1943. This was a top-secret agreement that was signed in Canada in 1943, where Canadian uranium for the bombs was being enriched at Chalk River. For Australia, it helps explain why our uranium was in such high demand. It also provides insights into Oliphant's character-was he acting in the interest of Britain or his own future interests?

These findings benefitted Australia in its quest for nation-building projects and developing atomic technology. Within hours the Australian government put out a press release and argued that only a small quantity of Australian uranium had been shipped to Britain, not enough to produce an atomic bomb. 

There is fresh evidence that sheds new light on why Australia was kept out of the atomic loop.

According to Darren Holden's research, which uncovered talks about a high-ranking meeting between General Groves who was in charge of the military operations of the Manhattan Project. At this meeting, General Groves stated that atomic research would not be shown to the British and that the Americans were planning to double-cross the British after the war by restricting the manufacture and storage of nuclear materials to North America.

Oliphant reported the US intentions to both the British Embassy and the Australian government. This was an important development, as it has serious implications for both Britain and Australia.

For Britain, it contravened the Quebec Agreement and Britain would have to go it alone. The Quebec Agreement between Britain and the United States was signed in August 1943. This was a top-secret agreement that was signed in Canada in 1943, where Canadian uranium for the bombs was being enriched it helps explain why our uranium was in such high demand. It also provides insights into Oliphant's character-was he acting in the interest of Britain or his own future interests?

Oliphant's actions had serious consequences placing him and Australia outside the American atomic sphere. The Americans just did not trust Oliphant and given his nuclear expertise, as one of the leading nuclear physicists in the world, one would have thought that the British would use him to head their atomic program in Australia, however, the British excluded him and appointed William Penny instead.

So, it's not just Menzies fears and mother-country loyalty, also containing some degree of self-interest. There is no doubt that Australia felt uncomfortable in terms of her inability to defend herself in an expanding Communism in Australia's own backyard. Hence the need for powerful friends-UK and USA. The tests indentured both powers to the 

Australia's defense. This was the quid pro quo. Early 1946 saw Australia begin protracted negotiations and deals with Britain and the United States, seeking deals to access scientific and technological information to support the development of industrial atomic energy. Discussions tended to involve talk of a trade, whereby Australian uranium was to be exchanged for American or British expertise and technology. Many, such as South Australian Premier Tom Playford, believed nuclear power was vital to the future industrial development of the State. Much of his positive attitude towards uranium came from Professor Oliphant. As early as 1947, 

Oliphant was an enthusiast about the positive uses of uranium. In March 1947, he was advocating the potential use of atomic plants to provide electrical power for industrial and domestic consumption within the Commonwealth. Furthermore, given the the fact that South Australia had uranium, he was advocating that South Australia could have the first atomic energy plant, to be erected on St. Vincent Gulf.

Oliphant went on to say that atomic power stations would produce plutonium as a by-product at the rate of about 1 pound per day. Plutonium after 'denaturing' is an excellent concentrated fuel for use in small isolated atomic power stations at other places in Australia. About 50,000-100,000 kilowatts of power could be generated by these small secondary atomic energy power plants.

You can buy Mike's book on his website: www.projectfalstaff.com.au