The story of how LSD came to the United States of America and how it was used by many institutions at the behest of the CIA is told in The Search for
the Manchurian Candidate by John Marks. The full book can be read here;
www.druglibrary.org...
Anyone who finds the film of the UK military experiments which involved the use of LSD on unwitting soldiers amusing obviously doesn't know the full
story behind these trials.
The story of many of the soldiers that you have seen in the film is told in a book by the UK investigative lournalist Rob Evans. The books title is
Gassed-British Chemical Warfare Experiments on Humans at Porton Down
ISBN1-84232-071-8
The book deals with all types of CW Experiments that the UK Military scientists conducted on British soldiers. In 1953 a UK soldier dies after having
Sarin nerve agent dripped on his arm. The original inquest, which was held in secret, has been quashed and a new inquest is underway as I write.
Former "volunteers" are giving evidence as to the CW experiments that they were involved in, including the notorious Operation Moneybags LSD
experiments. The inquest may be followed here.
www.wiltshire.police.uk...
The Imperial War Museum Film and Video Archive have recently obtained more footage of these and other UK CDEE Porton Down LSD experiments and details
of each film may be found here.
www.iwmcollections.org.uk...
Click on each film for more detailed information such as:
Film Number:
MGH 4464 Film Title: a TRIAL OF AN INCAPACITATING DRUG [Main]
Production Date: 12/1964
Production Country:
GB
Production Sponsor: Ministry of Defence
Production Company:
Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment, Porton
Record of the Moneybags Trial (abbreviated version of Small Change) when volunteer subjects from 41 Royal Marine Commando engaged in a field exercise
after imbibing the hallucinogen LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) at Porton, 27 November - 4 December 1964.
Introductory title places trial in context of recent research to discover chemical agents able to incapacitate enemy forces but with negligible risk
of fatal casualties. Aim of trial is to test effect of drug LSD 25 on behaviour of troops in field conditions. Detailed coverage of the trial follows:
Marines bring in prisoners on Day 1 (Control day), then attempt same exercise on Day 2 (Drugged). One Marine in state of distress is comforted by
nurse, while others smile and laugh hysterically, one attempting to cut down a tree with his spade, and another climbing the tree. CDEE umpires in
white coats observe. After exercise Marines rest in bed in Porton ward, with nurses visible in background and a scientist with a reel to reel audio
tape recorder capturing wildtrack sound of patients. One very distressed Marine is held by duffel coated doctor and scientist, muttering "I am not
going to die." Cut back to end of the exercise, with Marines departing by truck, before concluding title states that despite promising results of
experiment, further research is needed into methods of disseminating drug, the effects of larger doses and establishing economical production
techniques. "Despite these and other problems, LSD is regarded in the light of present knowledge as one of the drugs which merits more detailed
examination and testing."
Notes:
Acquisition: one of thirteen assorted reels on LSD trials (Operation Moneybags, Operation Recount); other trials held as MGH 4465, 4466 and 4467.
Remarks: the film was originally designated "Confidential".
References: Reports for Porton Down LSD field trials held at PRO under following references: Moneybags (Dec 1964) - Porton Technical Paper No. 936
dated 1965 (WO 195/16137); Recount (Sept 1966) - preliminary report dated 1966 (WO 195/16312, Porton Technical Paper No. 979 dated 1968 (WO
195/16660); Small Change (10 January 1968) - brief preliminary report dated Feb 1968 (WO 189/122), report dated 1968 (WO 195/16694); Short Change, no
documentation, but involves 1st Staffords and is probably abbreviated version of Small Change.
Other CDEE Porton Down LSD Films are available:
126
DED 82-3
[MONEYBAGS (MINI)] [Allocated title][PORTON DOWN TRIALS NON-NITRATE COLLECTION] [Allocated series title] GB
12/1964
127
DED 77-1
[PART OF HOSPITAL WARD SCENE FROM OPERATION MONEYBAGS] [Allocated title][PORTON DOWN TRIALS NON-NITRATE COLLECTION] [Allocated series title] GB
12/1964
128
DED 77-2
[PART OF HOSPITAL WARD SCENE FROM OPERATION MONEYBAGS] [Allocated title][PORTON DOWN TRIALS NON-NITRATE COLLECTION] [Allocated series title] GB
12/1964
129
DED 82
[(MINI) MONEYBAGS. HUMAN VOLUNTEERS (TROOPS) AFTER SUBJECTION TO LSD 25] [Allocated title][PORTON DOWN TRIALS NON-NITRATE COLLECTION] [Allocated
series title] GB
12/1964
135
MGH 4465
[HOSPITAL INTERVIEWS WITH PORTON VOLUNTEERS AFTER OPERATION RECOUNT, LSD FIELD TRIAL TO TEST INCAPACITATING AGENT] [Allocated] GB
9/1966
138
MGH 4467
A FIELD TRIAL WITH A PHYSICAL INCAPACITANT [Main] GB
1968
141
MGH 4466
THE EFFECTS OF DOSING HALF AN INFANTRY PLATOON WITH AN INCAPACITANT [Main] GB
1/1968
Also available on this site is a description of the film of the UK Biological Warfare experiments that were carried out in the mid 1960s in the
southern part of the UK.
Click on the film for further details of how the UK Microbiological Research Establishment Porton Down secretly sprayed massive quantities of live
bacteria over South Dorset between 1963- 1968. The film title is;
139
POR 2
MRE FIELD TRIAL RS 13 [Main][MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH ESTABLISHMENT FIELD TRIAL RS 13] [Alternative][PORTON DOWN TRIALS NON-NITRATE COLLECTION]
[Allocated series title] GB
1968
zero lift
