A new BBC Scotland documentary explores the dark history of Gruinard Island, known as 'Anthrax Island' after being contaminated during World War Two germ warfare experiments. The island, off the north west coast of Scotland, was deemed too dangerous for public access for decades due to the lethal anthrax bacteria left behind by secret tests.
The experiments, ordered by Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1942, involved exposing sheep to anthrax spores to study their effects as a biological weapon. The tests were deemed successful, but the island remained poisoned. A declassified Ministry of Defence film revealed scientists in protective gear setting off explosions to disperse the bacteria, with infected carcasses burned or buried under rubble.
In 1981, a group calling itself the Dark Harvest Commandos drew attention to the contamination by sending a bucket of soil to the Porton Down research centre in Wiltshire, claiming it contained anthrax from the island. They also targeted the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool with a similar delivery, demanding action over the 'official indifference' to the ongoing hazard.
The island was eventually decontaminated in the 1990s, but the legacy of the secret experiments and the mysterious commandos remains a source of intrigue. The documentary 'The Mystery of Anthrax Island' delves into these events, shedding light on a forgotten chapter of wartime science.
