15/08/2025
Veteran Recalls "Hideous" Aftermath of Hiroshima Bomb 🗣️
A 99-year-old Welsh veteran who witnessed the horrors following the atomic bombings of Japan has been honoured for his remarkable service.
Duncan Hilling, from Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire, was among the first British soldiers to see the devastation caused by the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
Speaking on the eve of the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan, Mr Hilling described the scenes as "absolutely hideous" and recalled seeing "blind people being led around and still dead bodies lying in the streets."
Serving with the Royal Welch Fusiliers, Mr Hilling travelled to Japan after Germany’s surrender in May 1945, at a time when the war raged on in the Asia-Pacific. He saw firsthand the effects of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima on 6 August, which unleashed destruction over five square miles and claimed about 140,000 lives. Nagasaki faced a similar fate three days later, before Japan's eventual surrender.
Mr Hilling visited schools converted into makeshift hospitals, where victims, blind and severely burned, struggled to recover. “To me it was horrible, the newspapers described an atomic bomb, but it doesn’t describe the people or what they looked like. I really hope it never happens again," he said.
The long-term impact of radiation continued for years, with Mr Hilling losing regimental friends who fell ill after taking souvenirs from the bomb site. "They all died of cancer in their 30s and 40s," he revealed.
Celebrating the end of the war in India, Mr Hilling fondly remembered singing " " with his regiment, a unique tribute to peace after years of conflict.
Wales' First Minister, Eluned Morgan, recently visited Mr Hilling and his daughter Miranda to present a letter of thanks, recognising his "sacrifice, contribution and service." Morgan emphasised the importance of passing on these memories to future generations: "It is important that we remind the children of today of the cost of war and listen to witnesses like Duncan and know why we try and avoid it at all costs".
