New Technology

1. New Technology Gas

2. Gas was invented to act as a terror weapon to instil confusion and panic amongst the enemy before an attack. • Physiological weapon.

3. 1st use of Gas • The French 1st used Gas in 1914 • Tear gas to try and stop the seemingly unstoppable German Advance. • This was designed to be an irritant rather than fatal

4. Poison Gas • Poison Gas was 1st used at the 2nd battle of Ypres in April 1915. • The Gas was Chlorine, it produces a yellow-green cloud • The French believed it was a smoke screen for a German advance

5. Chlorine Gas • 1st symptoms include pains in the chest and a burning sensation in their throat • Chlorine gas destroyed the respiratory organs of its victims and this led to a slow death by asphyxiation. One nurse described the death of one soldier who had been in the trenches during a chlorine gas attack. “He was sitting on the bed, fighting for breath, his lips plum coloured. He was a magnificent young Canadian past all hope in the asphyxia of chlorine. I shall never forget the look in his eyes as he turned to me and gasped: I can’t die! Is it possible that nothing can be done for me?” It was a horrible death, but as hard as they tried, doctors were unable to find a way of successfully treating chlorine gas poisoning.

7. Protection against Chlorine Gas • After the first German chlorine gas attacks, Allied troops were supplied with masks of cotton pads that had been soaked in urine.  • It was found that the ammonia in the pad neutralized the chlorine. These pads were held over the face until the soldiers could escape from the poisonous fumes. Other soldiers preferred to use handkerchiefs, a sock, a flannel body-belt, dampened with a solution of bicarbonate of soda, and tied across the mouth and nose until the gas passed over. •  Soldiers found it difficult to fight like this and attempts were made to develop a better means of protecting men against gas attacks. By July 1915 soldiers were given efficient gas masks and anti-asphyxiation respirators.

8. Mustard gas • This was the most feared gas of all! • It was odourless and took twelve hours to take effect • The skin of victims would blister • The soldiers eyes became very sore and violently vomiting • Internal and external bleeding, attacked the bronchial tubes preventing the body producing mucous.

9. This was extremely painful and most soldiers had to be strapped to their bed. • It generally took 5 weeks to die

12. British Gas Casualties: 1914-18 • Chlorine Deaths – 1976 non-fatal – 164,457 • Mustard Deaths – 4086 non-fatal – 16,526

13. Warning • This was used to warn soldiers of a gas attack • The rattle would make a loud cracking noise • Soldiers would have to hurriedly put on their gas mask or pad

14. Warnings • This siren was used in the trenches in WW1 to warn the troops of an imminent mustard gas attack.  • The soldiers would don their gas masks when they heard the haunting crick of this alarm.

15. Gas Masks • The disaster at Ypres forced the development of Gas Masks • Cotton Pads were used first against Chlorine attacks • Filter respirators were the norm and proved highly effective, although working in a trench while wearing such masks proved difficult and tiring

19. Delivery • Cylinders released the gas into the air. • Later more effectively Gas Shells were fired from artillery removing the dangers of dealing with gas