Chemical weapons exercises on Salisbury Plain - just a coincidence?

I picked up this little nugget from Alex Thompson from UK Column this morning.

Must just be a huge coincidence, eh? Lol

Royal Marines participate in major 3-week chemical exercise on Salisbury Plain leading up to the Skripal poisoning

Royal Marines participate in major chemical exercise

UK Defence Journal,
7 March, 2018


Troops from 40 Commando Royal Marines trained with experts in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear warfare to make sure they could cope in a worst-case scenario, say the Ministry of Defence.

According to a press release:

“Which is where Exercise Toxic Dagger – the largest of its kind in the UK – comes in, involving Public Health England, the Atomic Weapons Establishment and the government’s military labs, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. While the commandos have kept up with the latest developments and tactics on the battlefield, the scientists have monitored CBRN progress – and how to defeat them.

40 Commando would be first on the ground in the event of a CBRN incident as the Lead Commando Group, but their brawn requires scientific brain behind it; at DSTL’s headquarters a team is on hand to provide the crucial information to tell them what dangers they face and how to deal with them.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul Maynard, 40 Cdo’s Commanding Officer said:

“Because the threat is a technical, scientific one, the ability to reach out to organisations with specialist skills greater than ours is crucial.”

The three-week exercise included company-level attacks and various CBRN scenarios based on the latest threats for ultimate realism, such as a raid on a suspected chemical weapons lab.

The Ministry of Defence say that it climaxes with a full-scale exercise involving government and industry scientists and more than 300 military personnel, including the RAF Regiment and the RM Band Service – casualty treatment was a key part of the Salisbury Plain exercise.