A HAMPSHIRE war veteran believes the government's mass anthrax vaccination programme for soldiers flying off to the Gulf for possible war with Iraq will see many "wind up dead" or "with serious illnesses."

Charlie Plumridge, of Nightingale Close, Romsey, senior southern area co-ordinator for the National Gulf Veterans & Families Association, fears that the troops who have taken the anthrax vaccine have been lulled into a false sense of security.

The 62-year-old former milkman and security guard, who served in the Royal Medical Corps at 32 Field Hospital in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War of 1991, says he has been shocked by the number of soldiers who have since gone on to experience Gulf War syndrome.

He believes this is largely due to "inappropriate" anthrax vaccinations.

"Troops are being given the impression that they will be protected against any exposure to anthrax used in weapon form, this is clearly not the case as the protocol for giving the vaccine is four doses of 0.5ml given intramuscularly. The first three doses should be given at intervals of three weeks, followed by a fourth dose at an interval of six months. Reinforcing doses of 0.5ml should also be given annually.

"Troops are being given a genetically modified version of the anthrax vaccine. It was confirmed by comments from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after phials were washed up on a beach at West Quay near Bridport in Dorset. The GM modified anthrax vaccine is not licensed for the civilian population.

"Either it is a waste of time inoculating troops, or there will be no war for at least nine months and there will be a Gulf War syndrome part two."

In the last Gulf War 550 soldiers out of the 52,000 that served were diagnosed with Gulf War syndrome illnesses soon after their return. Symptoms of the illness include immune deficiency, behaviour disorders, and numbness down the arms.

A spokeswoman for the MoD, said; "The term Gulf War syndrome is not one that the MoD recognises although we do recognise that some people do suffer as a result of serving in the Gulf. Prevailing health advice is that you should not be given lots of inoculations together. There has to be a gap of five days either side of a vaccine being administered.

"In terms of the anthrax vaccine we administer it on the basis of informed consent, no vaccines are compulsory. We are confident in the safety of the anthrax vaccine, which is the same one as is available on the NHS."

But Mr Plumridge, added: "I had to quit my last job as an attendant at Romsey Town Hall because my arthritis became so bad I couldn't climb stairs."