The Dark Harvest Commando of the Scottish Citizen Army(DHC) was a militant group which in 1981 demanded that the British government decontaminate Gruinard Island, a site which had been used for anthrax weapon testing during World War II. They distributed on the mainland potentially anthrax-laden soil.[1][2]
The group identified itself as "Dark Harvest Commando" and claimed to include a "team of microbiologists from two universities" in Scotland. In a message to the Glasgow Herald, the group said they had landed on the island with the aid of local people and removed 300 lb (140 kg) of soil contaminated with anthrax spores, to be placed around the UK.[3][4]
The group placed a container of soil outside the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down in Wiltshire.[5] Five days later, a second container of soil was placed at Blackpool, a resort town where the Conservative Party was holding a conference presided over by Margaret Thatcher.[4] The first container was found to contain Bacillus anthracis (the causative agent of anthrax), while the second was uncontaminated but of the same soil type as found on the island.[6] At the end of the year, the group announced they would take no further action through a message pinned to the doors of the Scottish Office in Edinburgh.[4] Gruinard Island was eventually decontaminated in 1986.[4]
In his novel The Impossible Dead (2011), author Ian Rankin, in addition to using the mysterious death of Willie McRae for his plot, also mentions the clandestine events surrounding the removal of contaminated soils from Gruinard Island by the Dark Harvest Commandos and the island's removal from maps by the British Government.[7]
^Carn. Celtic League. 1987. p. 3.
^Curtis E. Cummings; Elisaveta Stikova (1 January 2007). Strengthening National Public Health Preparedness and Response to Chemical, Biological and Radiological Agent Threats. IOS Press. pp. 55–. ISBN 978-1-58603-744-4.
^MacLeay, Iain and Scott (1990). Britain's Secret War: Tartan Terrorism and the Anglo-American State. Mainstream Publishing. pp. 102–106. ISBN 1-85158-306-8.
^ abcdMacdonald, Iain (26 February 2022). "40 years on, Dark Harvest campaign over 'anthrax island' is back in spotlight". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
^Weapons of Mass Destruction. ABC-CLIO. 2005. pp. 146–. ISBN 978-1-85109-490-5.
^"Biological Warfare: Dark Harvest". Time. 9 November 1981. Archived from the original on 26 January 2010.
^Rankin, Ian (13 October 2011). The Impossible Dead. Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 9781409112143.
and 19 Related for: Dark Harvest Commando information
The DarkHarvestCommando of the Scottish Citizen Army (DHC) was a militant group which in 1981 demanded that the British government decontaminate Gruinard...
movie DarkHarvest (2016 film), a Canadian pot movie "DarkHarvest", an episode of the animated series Invader Zim (2001) DarkHarvestCommando 1981 militant...
contaminated soils from Gruinard Island by a protest group, the DarkHarvestCommando, and the island's removal from maps by the British Government. The...
revealed the cover of the prequel novel, also by Schreiber, called Red Harvest. The Imperial prison barge Purge breaks down in a distant, uninhabited...
films, Daniel Ross in Transformers: The Game) is an Autobot commando who transforms into a dark green Oshkosh Defense Medium Tactical Truck in Age of Extinction...
of Republic Commando: Triple Zero published by Del Rey also contain the short story "Omega Squad: Targets" All versions of Republic Commando: True Colors...
until a new command structure is established. — Karen Traviss, Republic Commando: True Colors (2007) This resulted in the clone troopers becoming brainwashed...
northward, with the assistance of Tswana Barolong warriors and Griqua commandos. By 1838 the Ndebele had conquered the Rozwi Empire, along with the other...
Blandman July 1992 July 1992 1 One-shot DC Comics parody. Link Blood is the Harvest July 1992 December 1992 4 Limited Link Parts Unknown July 1992 December...
Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2013. Harvest of Horror, 1975 p.27-31 Bende-speurders kunnen tien jaar langer aan de...
Japanese animation company Gonzo. The Cobra Commander was released in the "Commando" collection in a new 8" scale, in 2006. Wearing body armor and a cape,...
and assumes the appearance of Lichna, the daughter of the trusted Fremen commando Otheym, in order to lure Paul from the Atreides Keep to Otheym's house...
Harrison (Dark Times #1–5) Parallels by Mick Harrison (Dark Times #6–10) Vector by Mick Harrison (Dark Times #11–12) Blue Harvest by Mick Harrison (Dark Times...
Operation Commando Hunt was a covert U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 aerial interdiction campaign that took place during the Vietnam...
Maul is later captured by Darth Sidious, Almec sends Mandalorian super commandos Gar Saxon and Rook Kast to rescue him. During the Siege of Mandalore,...
Wedding Singer February 23, 1998 Dark City March 18, 1998 Mr. Nice Guy U.S. distribution only; co-production with Golden Harvest April 1, 1998 Lost in Space...
Republic Commando Republic Commando: Hard Contact Karen Traviss ISBN 0345478274 Del Rey Republic Commando: Triple Zero ISBN 0345490096 Republic Commando: True...