Gruinard Island

Aldhous, P. (1990). Biological warfare Gruinard Island handed back. Nature, 344, 801. 

The development of X and its use in Operation Anthropoid was little more than an adventurous interlude in the routine of Fildes s work. The centre of the British germ warfare programme was still anthrax, and how best it could be turned into a weapon of mass-destruction. Tests continued at Porton throughout the spring of 1942, and it was in that summer that Fildes and his team first went up to Gruinard Island in northern Scotland to test the prototype anthrax bomb. 

GRUINARD ISLAND THIS ISLAND IS GOVERNMENT PROPERTY UNDER EXPERIMENT THE GROUND IS CONTAMINATED WITH ANTHRAX AND DANGEROUS LANDING IS PROHIBITED... 

Manchee R, Stewart W. The decontamination of Gruinard Island. Chem Br. 1988 July 690-691. 

At the same time, cooperation in BW research and development was undertaken by the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. It was learned from tests conducted by the British at Gruinard Island oflf the coast of Scotland and Penclawdd on the coast of Wales (1942-3) that loading anthrax into bomblets included in cluster munitions was the most feasible method of delivering the agent. This was determined by sheep placed at various distances from a bomb loaded with anthrax. The reach of the deadly spores was such that animals placed 250 yards downwind received a lethal dose of anthrax. Despite these impressive results, effective cluster-type munitions using anthrax were never supplied to AUied forces in World War II. 

In response to biological weapons development in Germany and Japan, the USA, UK and Canada initiated a bioweapon development programme that resulted in the weaponisation of tularaemia, anthrax, brucellosis and botulism toxin. Field-testing by the UK during World War II left Gruinard Island in Scotland contaminated with anthrax for the next half-century. 

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