Operation Antler (Porton Down investigation)
Operation Antler was a 1999 police investigation into experiments conducted on humans at the British government's Porton Down research establishment between 1939 and 1989. Several cases were sent to the Crown Prosecution Service but none proceeded to criminal prosecutions. In July 1999, the Wiltshire Constabulary opened an investigation into allegations by a former serviceman of malfeasance at Porton Down Chemical and Biological Research Establishment. As a consequence of these preliminary investigations, the scope of the inquiry was broadened into a major inquiry named Operation Antler. The inquiries established that a number of the participants in the Service Volunteer Programme claimed to have been tricked into taking part in experiments. Some also claimed to have suffered long-term illness or injury as a result of the experiments. The investigation covered the period from 1939 to 1989 and lasted for five years. Its thirteen members interviewed over 700 ex-servicemen or their relatives. The British Government provided the constabulary with an additional £870,000 towards the costs. At least 20,000 servicemen participated as volunteers in testing at Porton Down, and records survive from 1942 onwards. The Second World War was the peak period for testing, and much of this concerned mustard gas, with as many