Main content

Something in the Water: The Secrets of Camp Lejeune

File on 4 investigates the toxic water contamination at a US military base and asks if enough is being done to trace the British veterans and their families who lived there.

Camp Lejeune is a vast US Marine Corps base in North Carolina. It鈥檚 been in operation since the 1940s and covers a massive 240 square miles. But for years it hid a secret. For decades, its water supply was contaminated with harmful chemicals found to increase the risk of some cancers. It鈥檚 estimated that one million people might have been exposed to the toxic water.

But it wasn鈥檛 just American personnel who were based at Camp Lejeune. Soldiers from all over the world - including from the UK - also spent time there on training exercises and exchange programmes.

Emma Forde hears from the British veterans and their families who lived and worked on the base and have since suffered serious health problems or seen loved ones die from conditions associated with exposure to the water. But despite a compensation scheme for victims being widely reported in the US, there are concerns that those from the UK are still unaware of the serious health risks they were exposed to. And time is running out.

Reporter: Emma Forde
Producer: Andrew Picken
Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford
Production Coordinators: Ellie Dover & Tim Fernley
Editor: Carl Johnston

Image: Royal Marine Captain Joe House and Captain Jonathan Lear handing over to each other at Camp Lejeune.

Available now

43 minutes

Last on

Wed 31 Jul 2024 11:00

Broadcasts

  • Tue 30 Jul 2024 20:00
  • Wed 31 Jul 2024 11:00

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.

Podcast