Germans advance against Russians in 1914 behind a gas barrage. Photo taken by a Russian Aviator. Photo othewise un-attributed. For the purposes of this discussion, we can class WWI gas weapons into three categories. Irritants, Toxics and Persistents IRRITANTS Phosgene, Diphosgene etc. German Green Cross, Green Cross +, Green Cross ++, Green Cross +++; Non-toxic war gas, such as, tear gas, sneezing gas, breath restrictors. These effected the eyes, nose, throat,and caused vomiting, and shortness of breath causing panic. These were the most commonly used war gases. Always artillery delivered. They were issued at all levels and can be a battery commander decision to use them. They were usually part of Divisional or Corps attack or defense plans. They are rarely toxic, but of course only veterans would realize that and even they would not feel all that safe as it is hard to tell one gas from another. It is fairly heavy, so it usually gathers in low, dense clouds and penetrates even into underground bunkers that are not protected by gas blankets. They were the most commonly used. because they were: Cheap and easy to produce. Relatively easy to deliver by shell fire. Not so dangerous for the firers and shell primers to handle Had a temporary effect that does not stop your own side occupying the area afterwards. Because it gathers in clouds and seeps down, it can force the enemy out of their bunkers, making them more vulnerable to normal artillery HE. It can force less experienced troops to seek shelter from it by leaving their trenches. They force the enemy to wear gas masks. They confuse the enemy as to their danger or other wise. They severely effect the ability to fight without a gas mask. (Close to total) They seriously effect the ability to fight because of the need to wear a gas mask. They seriously effect the visibility of the enemy because of the need to wear a gas mask. They add to the fatigue of the enemy because of the need to wear a gas mask. They annoy and wear down the enemy because of the need to wear a gas mask. The need to wear a gas mask severely effects communications. Voice commands, telephone, visual. Regardless of troop class or experience, the need to wear a mask is universally hindering. ENDURANCE: This Gas, if delivered effectively, will force the enemy to wear gas masks for up to 3 hours in trench situations, gun pits etc. Up to 12 hours in ruins, woods, crops. TOXICS Chlorine, Vincennite, Arsenic trichloride, Hydrogen Cyanide, German Blue cross, German White Band. These were very toxic war gas intended to kill. They damaged. Lungs, eyes and breathing causing death or serious permanent debility. These were the most commonly used war gases in the early war period. They are very toxic, kill effectively if delivered in dense clouds, are light and easily wind blown. A limited issue weapon, they were mostly delivered via gas cylinders. Their use would be a decision at Army level, usually even higher. Used for attack only. The main means of delivery is simple. Gas cylinders are taken to the attack area. Usually a second trench line, but sometimes the front trench. Attack area is a specific one and usually half a mile or so in width. When the wind is right, all troops in front of the cylinders withdraw. The cylinders are opened and the gas released. It drifts with the wind onto the enemy positions. If the wind is slight, it will have the greatest effect as it will remain dense and stay around longer. The effect of being caught in it, without a gas mask, is immediate difficulty in breathing. The victim is forced to vacate the area (if he can) and if not will die fairly quickly. If he can vacate the area it will have to be rapidly, therefore in panic. It’s effect is the same on troops of all classes. If you can’t breath, you are dead, being a veteran or green soldier is of no consequence. A second means of delivery.was by shellfire. This was found to be mostly ineffective as it was almost impossible to concentrate enough of the gas to form a dense cloud. It also burns off, so HE and exploding shrapnel rounds could not be effectively deployed at the same time to take advantage of the troops leaving cover. It’s overall effect was therefore much the same as IRRITANTS. As it was much more expensive to produce and far more dangerous for the crews to handle, it was quickly abandoned in favour of IRRITANTS. USERS Commonly thought to be a mostly German weapon. In actual fact the Allies were in a better industrial condition to produce and use it. The Allies persisted in its use long after the Germans had abandoned it. The British launched irritant gases in massive ‘beam’ attacks. These involved bringing a light railway load of the gas to behind the front line. At the given hour (Always at night) the trenches in front were abandoned, the troops falling back behind the light railway. The cylinders were then opened and a huge, dense cloud drifted across the front line trenches, over no-mans land and over the enemy positions. It was so dense (They chose the weather carefully) that in the concentrated area (a few hundred yards wide) anyone without a gas mask would be killed. Those who put masks on would still be forced to leave the area because it was so dense they could not be sure their mask filter would last long enough for the gas to disperse. The cloud was so dense that it would continue to drift well into the rear in concentrated clouds and often caught and killed enemy troops asleep in their billets. The gasses chosen were selected because they DID tend to hang in clouds and were not too easily dispersed by light winds. They would not be released in stronger winds. Toxics were originally used as a pre-attack weapon. The disadvantage was that the attackers had to wear gas masks, placing the same visual, communication and movement restrictions on them. Their later use, such as beam attacks, was to kill and shake morale. Often on the flanks of an intended attack. It’s use by the Allies, was only abandoned after the front had become less rigid. It was of course, almost impossible to deploy unless the enemy frontline was in a fixed and concentrated position. It remains an option for British troops in particular, right into early 1918. ENDURANCE Only for as long as it took for the cloud to pass over. It was light and wind blown. It did not seep downward. Once it had passed it was perfectly safe to remove your mask. Generally most masks could last 20 to 30 minutes without a change of filter. This was more than enough. The only variation on this was British Beam attack with heavier gases which could seep into some lower areas. This ed to enabled the ‘beam’ to last for a long distance before it thinned out and to resist wind dispersal. When delivered by shellfire, the gas dispersed very quickly. If the weather was too cold, it would freeze and sink to the ground. (Occasionally reforming when spring came.) It also dispersed in hot climates. This made it very difficult to use as an artillery weapon. OVER ALL EFFECT Deadly in the early war period, much less so later, provided troops had gas masks. If not, it was a killer. The effects were usually panic at the loss of breath, followed by attempted flight, followed by death. The quality of troops had little they could do with it if they had no masks. A crack guardsman will panic just as much as a green soldier, if he cannot breathe. Once effective masks were provided, the over all effect was limited to the unwary. When first encountered it had the effect of causing panic, or at least great fear. Even with a mask on, troops would be worried, because even a shrapnel tear in the mask could let in a fatal dose. PERSISTENTS Allied: Bromenzylcyanide, Camite, Yperite. German: Yellow double cross. - commonly known as MUSTARD GAS. This is in fact not a gas at all but a highly toxic chemical agent with the ability to cause tissue damage.It caused temporary blindness. and if inhaled would usually result in death. If in contact with the skin it would cause large blisters and painful irritations. Its main military effect was to deny territory to an enemy (and self). It forces the enemy to leave and or, not pass through, areas. Troops remaining in area require heavy protection, with resultant loss of combat effectiveness. Mustard Gas was always artillery delivered. It is usually part of Divisional or Corps attack or defense plans. A widely issued munitions type, it was used in late 1917, but was in general issue during the last half of 1918. There are several reasons why this agent was used: It can be put down on the units flanking a proposed attack. That will not only cause them to vacate those areas, but make it very difficult and costly, for any troops to move through it, in order to threaten your attack. It can be put down on enemy artillery positions forcing them to move away. It can be put down on suspected enemy reserve marshalling areas, forcing them to chose other locations. Similarly it can be put down on areas suspected as being second position for artillery, so that if they do have to move, as in (2) they cannot go there either. It can be put down of enemy communications routes forcing them to use others. It can be put down on enemy rest areas, forcing them to use others. It was difficult to counter and its effects just as deadly against a veteran as a recruit. It was a morale buster. In defense it could be put down on suspected enemy jump off points, forcing them to use others, or cancel the attack. It is liquid and can get into cellars, bunkers etc. It forms in the bottom of shell holes and trenches. Because of the above, troops are forced out into the open. Enemy casualties are heavy if it can therefore be mixed with shrapnel and HE. It is not burnt off by HE or Shrapnel. In fact HE can help spread the droplets further. The simultaneous use of of HE and Shrapnel, can result in the agent penetrating tears in uniforms, protective clothing and masks. Open up wounds letting the agent in past protective creams. It lasts for 72 hours. Up to 7 days in woods or ruins. THIS CAN ALSO BE A DISADVANTAGE. There are several disadvantages to its use. Your own side is just as vulnerable to it as the enemy, so the area is denied to you too. It lasts for 72 hours. Up to 7 days in woods or ruins. THIS CAN ALSO BE AN ADVANTAGE. (as listed) It is no good for bombarding an area you intend to attack. It is dangerous to handle. It is dangerous to store. In winter it can freeze and come to life months later….and you don’t remember where it was. EXCEPTION: During the Michael Offensive, some German Sturm Truppe, were sent in to the attack through Mustard Gassed areas. The reasoning was that this would be totally unexpected. It was unexpected too, but not a success because although they were prepared for it, the follow up troops were less so, and suffered serious casualties. The Sturm Truppe losses were also too heavy to make it worthwhile. The mere fact that they were ordered to do it, did not mean it was a good idea, only that the higher commanders who told them to do it, were too ignorant of the difficulties. Gas on the Battlefield and in the Wargame Back to Table of Contents -- Courier # 83 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2002 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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