Gas On The Somme

[lemme]

Not sure if this the correct place on the forum for this but, I've read rather vague accounts of gas being used on 1.7.16.

Can anyone confirm the German use of gas?

My grandfather survived that day, evacuated from the battlefield suffering shell shock and from being gassed. The only fact I can confirm is that we used gas shells in the initial bombardment, no definite evidence that the Germans returned fire with gas.

So, could it be that he was gassed by his own side. He was with the Tyneside Irish starting out from Becourt Wood.

Any suggestions as to how I can proceed with research gratefully received.

Lemme

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Lemme,

I found a very good account of the fighting on 1st July, 1916 involving the Tyneside Irish, which you may find interesting :-

www.lochnagarcrater.org/July011916.html

Regards,

LF

[lemme]

LF,

Thanks so much for guiding me to this site, I'd not come across it before.

Still, no mention of gas though.

Regards

Lemme

[Lancashire Fusilier]

LF,

Thanks so much for guiding me to this site, I'd not come across it before.

Still, no mention of gas though.

Regards

Lemme

My pleasure, I shall continue looking for the ' Gas Attack ' episode, and get back to you should I find anything.

Regards,

LF

[Tom W.]

Not sure if this the correct place on the forum for this but, I've read rather vague accounts of gas being used on 1.7.16.

Can anyone confirm the German use of gas?

My grandfather survived that day, evacuated from the battlefield suffering shell shock and from being gassed. The only fact I can confirm is that we used gas shells in the initial bombardment, no definite evidence that the Germans returned fire with gas.

So, could it be that he was gassed by his own side. He was with the Tyneside Irish starting out from Becourt Wood.

Any suggestions as to how I can proceed with research gratefully received.

Lemme

According to Simon Jones in his Osprey book World War I Gas Warfare: Tactics and Equipment, the Germans fired Green Cross shells twelve times during the Battle of the Somme in July but didn't launch any cylinder attacks. He doesn't give the dates of the firings.

[bmac]

The British did not use gas on 1st July as the only available means of delivery was from canisters in the front line which were dangerous to nearby troops and entirely dependent on wind direction. These canisters were used during the bombardment with little known effect. The French 75mm batteries attached to various of the British Corps could fire two types of poison gas shells and these, when used in this way, were mainly aimed at German batteries. The British had a small supply of tear gas shell. I am not aware of any reports of German poison gas shells being used on 1st July. I think some tear gas shell might have been used but I would need to check that. I can find no record within any of the war diaries of 34th Division concerning the German use of gas.

[lemme]

Tom W and bmac,

Thanks for tanking the time to dig out that info.