What is "W" gas?

[Chris_Baker]

I have e reference to a case of gas poisoning. It says 'Admitted hospital shell gas "W" mild'. Any ideas on what the "W" stands for?

[Chris_B]

Chris,

Just had someone look into "John Henry Storer's" (see below) records. He was gassed in March 1918, his service records note "Adm: Torbay Hostp: Torquay "W" Gas 15.3.18".

I have an idea that John Terraine mentions common terms for theforms of gas used on the Western Front , and elsewhere, in his book - White heat: the new warfare, 1914-18.

ChrisB

[Chris_B]

Chris,

Ok it is "White GAS".

Types of gas Common name Effect

White Cross Eye Irritants (lachrymal)

Blue Cross Nasal and Pharyngeal tract irritants

Green Cross Suffocating Agents

Yellow Cross Caustic Agents

Sorry for poor tabulation. See here:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/k.../kylet1/gas.htm

[Geoff Parker]

Chris

Another possibility could be White Star. A mixture of Phosgene and Chlorine.

Geoff

[Myrtle]

Chris

The British gas shells were painted grey with coloured bands to identify the contents. One white band was an indication that it was a PS shell containing chloropicrin which was a tear gas. The PS stands for Port Sunlight where the Lever Brothers first investigated its possibilities.

The British gas cylinders were colour coded with stars. The white star was 50 % phosgene and 50 % chlorine. This was in general use from the summer of 1916.

The German shells were coded with crosses or letters.

A white C indicated Trichlormethyl-chloroformate which was lethal.

A white D was Phosgene which again was regarded as lethal.

A white B or BM was bromo methyl ketones - a tear gas.

The American shells were banded with white when they contained non-persistent gases. The number of bands indicated its strength. One white band indicated diphenylchorarsine.

If you have a date and location for the casualty you may be able to narrow down the type of gas used.