Brook Island Chemical Warfare Trials

In the climax of World War 2, Japan crept ever closer to Australian mainland. History showed the Allies that Japan was not afraid to use chemical weapons in war, with Japan using chemical weapons on the Chinese during their conquest in China. Additionally, various raids against Japanese bases and supply depots found evidence of Japanese bombs that contained mustard gas, further proving this fact. It is because of this, the U.K, America, and most importantly, Australia, considered how effective would mustard gas and other chemical weapons would be in the event of a Japanese invasion of Australia, and thus, conducted the highly classified Brook Island Trials.

Brook Island was a 0.9 km2 island used by Australia and various Allied countries to conduct chemical warfare experiments. The island had various foxholes and tunnels to simulate emplacements that were built by the Japanese in New Guinea and other Pacific Islands. During the experiments, goats and volunteer men from the Australian Army, dressed in Australia, US, U.K and captured Japanese chemical gear, would be sent to the island after it was heavily bombed with mustard gas with the men being sent to conduct patrols on the island.

The goats all were fatally injured or dead within a day of exposure, and the men, despite being donned head to toe in chemical gear, also received fatal wounds, such as lung damaged or blisters, mostly in areas that accumulated a large amount of sweat. 

Oddly enough, the Brook Island trials was one of the only times that the Australia Light Anti-Gas Respirator has been seen in original media, with it being seen in numerous ocasions during the 30 minute footage of the test that is available to the public on the Australian War Memorial Website. A short 5 minute video only featuring the ALAG is linked below