Britain’s Cold War Human Chemical Warfare Experiments (234)

Ian Foulkes was exposed to the deadly nerve agent Sarin in 1983 at the  Porton Down Chemical & Biological Defence Establishment., one of the UK's most secretive and controversial military research facilities.

Ian describes in detail the process and the ill effects this caused him and shares details of a little-known fatality where 20-year-old Ronald Maddison died 45 minutes after what scientists thought was  200mg of liquid Sarin dripped onto his arm.

We also talk about the development of chemical weapons during the Cold War and the history of the Porton Down Chemical & Biological Defence Establishment. 

Up to 20,000 people took part in various trials at Porton Down from 1949 up to 1989. In 2004 Maddison’s death was ruled to have been Corporate Manslaughter. The MoD withdrew a challenge to this ruling minutes before the hearing. In 2008  the MoD paid 600 veterans of the tests £8k each without admitting liability.

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I am delighted to welcome Ian Foulkes to our Cold War conversation…

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