Last Gas Attack - 5/Lincs men injured

[Guest C729LEE]

Back again

I have just got a few bits of paper back from the NA on a couple of 1/4 & 1/5 lads, one of whom was injured in a gas attack on 08/11/18 (202849 Pte Jasper Fooks of Nottingham)

Could anyone tell me if this was the last gas attack of the hostilities?

Did the Dirty Hun carry on with this rather horrible practice until the end?

Jonners

[gericht 1914]

Did the Dirty Hun carry on with this rather horrible practice until the end?

Yes. You might also find that the Dirty Brits and their allies did so too!

D.

[gporta]

Back again

I have just got a few bits of paper back from the NA on a couple of 1/4 & 1/5 lads, one of whom was injured in a gas attack on 08/11/18 (202849 Pte Jasper Fooks of Nottingham)

Could anyone tell me if this was the last gas attack of the hostilities?

Did the Dirty Hun carry on with this rather horrible practice until the end?

Jonners

I recall reading that during artillery barrages, Gas shells were used along with "standard" explosive shells. I have now at hand J.M. Winter's "The experience of World War I", which states "By 1918 roughly one shell in four fired by both sides on the Western Front was a gas shell" (this, of course only mentions shells, and leaves aside other gas-releasing methods as Livens projectors, etc.).

I couldn't tell if that was the last gas attack, but as far as there was any shelling (that is up to 11 hours 11th November 1918), gas could have been used too.

BTW, while the first to use gas as a weapon were the Germans, it's use was quickly adopted by the rest of combatant nations, friends and foes alike.

Gloria

[gericht 1914]

BTW, while the first to use gas as a weapon were the Germans, it's use was quickly adopted by the rest of combatant nations, friends and foes alike.

Slight correction, Gloria (and I don't mean to sound pedantic).

The Germans were the first to use gas as a lethal weapon. The French used lachrymatory gasses before them, as early as 1914 (and were the first to perfect the gas shell). Chemical agents used to disable enemies through inhalation of fumes pre-dates WW1 by many years (such as sulphur burning going back as far as the Romans and the respiratory irritant substances used on some shells during the fighting near Sedan in 1870).

D.

[Guest C729LEE]

Yes. You might also find that the Dirty Brits and their allies did so too!

The question was asked in a rather Blackadderish way, I do realise that we had our dirty tricks factory, too.

{Not as many as some, however!!!} As for the wording 'Hun', I do hope no-one is feeling insulted by the word - (Heads down everyone, incoming PC barrage )

It really was an innocently asked question on useage, deployment, methods of dispersal, and the timing of the final and ultimately pointless attacks of a well beaten military force.

I have a copy of the Winter's book, I will find it and have a look through. I had no idea that gas was used so frequently, the 1 in 4 shells line was a bit of news to me. I find that quite surprising. I remember reading that the French were experimenting with a type of tear gas early on, something similar to the CS gas of today.

Thanks chaps, more reading up needed.

Jonners

[gporta]

Slight correction, Gloria (and I don't mean to sound pedantic).

The Germans were the first to use gas as a lethal weapon. The French used lachrymatory gasses before them, as early as 1914 (and were the first to perfect the gas shell). Chemical agents used to disable enemies through inhalation of fumes pre-dates WW1 by many years (such as sulphur burning going back as far as the Romans and the respiratory irritant substances used on some shells during the fighting near Sedan in 1870).

D.

D., No trouble. I stand corrected where I was wrong , I had in mind the first use of Chlorine in 1915 but not previous developments in chemical wars.

Gloria

[gporta]

C729LEE:

The question was asked in a rather Blackadderish way, I do realise that we had our dirty tricks factory, too.

Jonners,

No, I wasn't offended... I just was a bit afraid of people harbouring resentments after all those years (so kick me for not getting it). What i was thinking is that, sadly, as any new lethal weapon enters the scene, every army in the world. will want to get their hands on it.

C729LEE:

It really was an innocently asked question on useage, deployment, methods of dispersal, and the timing of the final and ultimately pointless attacks of a well beaten military force.

Particularly as after the Battle of Amiens, it was clear that Germany could not win the war. However, I suppose that the High Command wanted to hold it up just to leave their opponents clear that they would not give up easily. Bear in mind that, what was agreed to take place on November 11th was an Armistice, not the surrender of German forces. Probably, the German generals (as well as their allied counterparts) though that, while there had no other orders from the Superiority, they had bussiness to do: so they didn't "close the shop" until the very end.

C729LEE:

I have a copy of the Winter's book, I will find it and have a look through. I had no idea that gas was used so frequently, the 1 in 4 shells line was a bit of news to me. I find that quite surprising. I remember reading that the French were experimenting with a type of tear gas early on, something similar to the CS gas of today.

Thanks chaps, more reading up needed.

Mind you, Winter's book is a general book covering the conflict, and this I took from a few pages which concentrated in the use of gas as a weapon: he states it as a "rough" estimate. I imagine more specific infornation could be gathered from other sources.

I searched for websites with information about gas warfare some time ago, and I found a couple dealing with chemical warfare. they do it mainly from a medical point of view, but contain a lot of bibliographical references, so you can visit them if you like (mind you, there are some not very nice images illustrating the effects of gas, so don't go there if you are about to eat or have just done it!):

http://www.vnh.org/MedAspChemBioWar/chapte...apter_3.htm#wwi

http://www.ku.edu/carrie/specoll/medical/gaswar/gasindex.htm

The following books have been referred as being good ones dealing with the issue: "The Poisonous Cloud: Chemical Warfare in the First World War", "Chemical Soldiers: British Gas Warfare in World War I", and "Gas!' The story of the Special brigade"

Gloria

[gericht 1914]

The following books have been referred as being good ones dealing with the issue: "The Poisonous Cloud: Chemical Warfare in the First World War", "Chemical Soldiers: British Gas Warfare in World War I", and "Gas!' The story of the Special brigade"

Gloria

Try also "Gas Attack" by William Moore for an easy read on the subject.

D.

[gporta]

Try also "Gas Attack" by William Moore for an easy read on the subject.

D.

D., Thanks for the suggestion. I will try to get a copy as budget allows

Gloria