K Shells.

[Tony Lund]

Can someone please tell me what are K Shells? I have seen them mentioned with Lachrymatory Shells, which are Tear Gas.

Also P Bombs, am I right to assume they would be phosphorus grenades?

Thanks,

Tony

[Robert Dunlop]

'K' possibly refers to SK, which was the code name for Ethyl Idoacetate. It was used as a tear gas. KSK was the more effective precursor that saw some use. Another 'K' was KJ, the code name for Stannic Chloride. This could pass through a respiratory and cause sneezing.

Robert

[Tony Lund]

Thanks, it sounds right considering the reference was with one to Lachrymatory Shells.

Tony.

[Mike_H]

The "P" Bomb was a smoke grenade and was also designated as the No.26 Grenade, known as " Cylindrical type C or P Bomb". It was a 5" long 3" diameter tin filled with red phosphorous, ignited by a Brock lighter with a 9 second fuze, it was intended for use with the West Spring gun. Weight filled about 1lb 8oz. The tin was painted black with a red diamond making on the top.

Mike

[Terry_Reeves]

Much depends on the context of the original document. Germany used lachrimatory shells filled with Dichloromethylchloroformate which was given the code letter K when used in artillery rounds. It was more commonly known as K Stoff. Production of these rounds began in January 1915 and were manufactured by Bayer of Leverkusen.

Terry Reeves

[Tony Lund]

It’s referring to a period of German shellfire, “beginning with lachrymatory and going on to K Shell.” Clearly the writer is making a distinction between the two, but he is an artilleryman, so he may distinguish between the different kinds of shell in a way that non specialists would not.

Tony.

[Robert Dunlop]

Ah, the nationality makes a difference . My comments related to the codenames for some of the British gas agents.

Robert

[Tony Lund]

I think for practical purposes I can consider K Shell can be some form of Tear gas or similar type of shell.

And there can be no doubt about the P Bombs.

Thank you,

Tony.

[Doc2]

Much depends on the context of the original document. Germany used lachrimatory shells filled with Dichloromethylchloroformate which was given the code letter K when used in artillery rounds. It was more commonly known as K Stoff. Production of these rounds began in January 1915 and were manufactured by Bayer of Leverkusen.

Terry Reeves

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Terry, at least in William Moore's book "Gas Attack", which appears to be well-researched and documented, he refers to Trichlometheyl-chloroformate as "K2 Stoff". Of interest is that he lists it as a lethal agent, not a lachrimator. This would seem to fit more with the description in the original question, of lacrimators being followed by something else (K shells)-- a lethal shell following a barrage of lacrimators was a common tactic of all the armies, so this really makes more sense than K being a referral to another type of lacrimator. This shell, either filled with C Stoff or K2 Stoff, was apparently called White C by the Germans. Doc2