A GULF War veteran believes a Freedom of Information request has proved soldiers were given “experimental” vaccines.

Since returning from the 1991 conflict, Andrew Coombes has suffered from a catalogue of illnesses including extreme fatigue, poor short-term memory, muscular and joint pains, gastric problems and skin irritations.

His complaints fall under the umbrella of Gulf War Syndrome, something which one in four veterans are reported to suffer from.

Andrew and many of his comrades believe it is untested vaccines designed to protect them against anthrax, which were administered ahead of their deployment, causing their ill health.

They say documents released by the Ministry of Defence show soldiers were test subjects, and what the long-term implications of the different vaccines would be were not known.

Andrew, from Elmdon Road, South Ockendon, said: “This Freedom of Information request is the first time, we believe, the MOD has admitted it was using us as experimental groups.

“The document refers to two study groups throughout.

“We believe someone at the MOD has released this document by mistake.”

The document Andrew is referring to is called Operation Granby, and was previously a classified report prepared in February 1992 at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment.

It outlines out how some troops were given a mixture of anthrax vaccine and a whooping cough vaccine.

Tests on animals showed mixing the two drugs could boost the strength of the anthrax virus. Some soldiers were given both vaccines, while others just received the Anthrax virus.

Andrew said: “Around 53,000 people from the UK went to the Gulf and many are suffering from ill health as a result.

“When they started doing the vaccinations, they didn’t know what the response was going to be.

“The study groups had different vaccinations, at different times and in different combinations.

“We were gobsmacked by the report when we saw it. We don’t want compensation, we just want it to be recognised by the MOD.”

A spokesman from the MOD said a research programme into the vaccines showed it would not have had adverse affects on a soldier’s health.

He said: “The MOD sponsored a research programme into the possible health effects of the combination of vaccines and tablets which were given to troops at the time of the 1990/1991 Gulf conflict to protect them against the threat of biological and chemical warfare.

“The overwhelming evidence from the programme is that the combination of vaccines and tablets that were offered to UK Forces at the time of the 1990/1991 Gulf conflict would not have had adverse health effects.”

Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price said she will be speaking to ministers about the FOI.

She said: “I think there are questions for the MOD about the vaccination programme and about how our veterans are being supported and I am taking these up with ministers.”