Jackson's Gas Bombs

[nadend]

Does anybody know where I may find a photograph of a Gas Bomb, or better still, a surviving example?

 

These Gas Bombs are mentioned in Donald Richter's book, Chemical Soldiers. Following the German Gas attack of 22nd April 1915 (Second Ypres), part of Britain's response was the development of our own gas offensive weapons. Colonel Lucius Jackson, Royal Engineers had been investigating the use of various gasses before January 1915, in particular Tear Gas. Jackson quickly designed a Gas Bomb which was apparently a gas filled hand grenade. It was first used during the Battle of Aubers Ridge, 5th May 1915. The development, manufacture, transport and deployment within a fortnight is quite a remarkable achievement. It was Britain's first use of a lethal gas on the Western Front and not as commonly believed, at the Battle of Loos, September 1915.

 

It is possible Jackson's Gas Bomb was similar to the Mills Bomb which was also apparently first deployed in May 1915. Gas Bombs was also used during the Battle of Festubert, 15th-25th May and at La Bassee in June 1915. As these bombs leaked, they probably caused more allied casualties than enemy casualties. Later that summer, existing stocks was withdrawn and destroyed, hence, no Gas Bombs may exist today.
 

[14276265]

1 hour ago, nadend said:

Does anybody know where I may find a photograph of a Gas Bomb, or better still, a surviving example?

 

 

In December 1914, Col. Louis Jackson was asked by the War Office to provide "stinkpots", and from January 1915 chemicals were investigated for their use in gas bombs at Imperial College, South Kensington. The work identified ethyl iodoacetate (code SK after South Kensington) as a powerful lachrymator but work stalled until after the German use of cloud gas in April 1915. Then two emergency grenade types were shipped to France, Chemical Grenade No.I and Chemical Grenade No.II. These were both 3-inch diameter tin containers, 3-inch high, with glass bottles within. The former contained sulphur dioxide and oil of capsicine, and the latter carbon disulphide and oil of capsicine, and both proved to be next to useless and were quickly ditched.

 

No lethal gas grenades were used by the British Army in 1915. Only lachrymatory were issued.

 

Thereafter the alphabetic series of Grenades, Chemical, began to be developed throughout 1915. The grenades produced were generally tin cylinders containing glass bottles of irritant chemicals (Types A and B), or tin plate spheres filled directly with chemicals, (the Types D, E, L). They were invariably designed for launching from spring guns or catapults

 

The Grenade Chemical, Type Q was a cast iron sphere containing SK, ethyl iodoacetate. It was designed for catapult and spring gun launching and also for hand throwing. Introduced late 1915. The Type Q became the No.28 MkI MSK grenade, which then was upgraded with a better igniter to No.28 MkII and remained in service until the end of the war. The MkII was issued with lethal filling - CG, phosgene.

 

Examples of the alphabetic series do exist, including a very few of the Type B, which is probably the nearest thing to the Chemical Grenades Nos I and II.

 

 

 

265

[Gunner Bailey]

Here's a photo of a type D from 1915. Super description 265.

 

[Terry_Reeves]

I would point out that these grenades were ineffective. As already mentioned, they were not lethal and lachrymators in such small quantities were of only any real use in tightly confined spaces.  Loos was the first engagement in which Britain used a lethal gas, which of course was chlorine.

 

TR

 

 

[Gunner Bailey]

26 minutes ago, Terry_Reeves said:

I would point out that these grenades were ineffective. As already mentioned, they were not lethal and lachrymators in such small quantities were of only any real use in tightly confined spaces.  Loos was the first engagement in which Britain used a lethal gas, which of course was chlorine.

 

TR

 

 

 

The Great War was a time of great innovation and inevitably some new weapons were better than others. The German egg grenade was pretty ineffective but they made millions of them all the same.

[Terry_Reeves]

Yes, I am very well aware of the effectiveness or otherwise of WW1 munitions of war. Gas, however, was a very different weapon. 

 

TR

[Gunner Bailey]

11 hours ago, Terry_Reeves said:

Yes, I am very well aware of the effectiveness or otherwise of WW1 munitions of war. Gas, however, was a very different weapon. 

 

TR

I'm not sure it was Terry. At the time it seemed immoral and cowardly. However all sides ignored that and deployed it in an number of forms, from tiny grenades like the French Bertrand to full gas clouds. The effect is basically the same as a bullet or a shell. It can wound, maim, leave terrible wounds and kill. It's a bit like saying it's better to be killed by a trained sniper than a 12 year old waving an AK47 around. If you are dead, either way is a bad result.

[nadend]

Hi,

 

Thanks for all your replies. I have no doubt that I was wrong in assuming the early gas bombs contained lethal gases, hence the British first use of lethal gas still appears to have taken place at Loos.

 

A chap I am interested in was 593 Lance Corporal William Joseph Naden, B Squadron, Royal Canadian Dragoons, an Englishman who had emigrated to Canada. They arrived in England and was subsequently asked to serve as dismounted troops at Festubert. They relieved the assaulting troops, but was also issued with 200 gas bombs to clear an enemy occupied trench. I believe he died during that attempt. One thing I can now be sure of, he didn't die from lethal gas poisoning.

 

Thanks once again

 

Dave

Edited 27 April , 2019 by nadend
Updated