Source
So what is the connection for a British Frigate to this thread?
The HMS Plym was ground zero in the first British nuclear test in the Monte Bello islands in 1952.
And this is the result:
There's an interesting transcript of one of
Churchill's speeches on the subject - here's an extract:
"The weapon was exploded in the morning of 3rd October. Thousands of tons of water and of mud and rock from the sea bottom were thrown many thousands of feet into the air and high tidal wave was caused. The effect of blast and radioactive contamination extended over a wide area and HMS Plym was vaporised. Some red-hot fragments were scattered over one of the Islands and started fires in the dry vegetation.
Very soon after the explosion two naval officers undertook the dangerous task of flying helicopters over the heavily contaminated lagoon where “Plym” had lain. This was in order to take samples of the water so that its radioactivity could be measured. After a longer interval, scientists and Service personnel in protective clothing entered the contaminated area to examine the effects and to recover records"
There was even a documentary made about the Plym titled "This little ship".