LECTURE AT THE GARRISON HALL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3142, 21 July 1917, Page 3

LECTURE AT THE GARRISON HALL

USE OE GAS IN WAE, At the Garrisuu Hall. BucJde Street, last Gveuiiiij, a lecture was delivered bj r liient.-Coloiicl.CuQiiiiiiig on the "Use of Gas in War." Colonel Campbell presided'. The lecturer jjoiiited out that gas was first used by the tierrnaiis, and they were probably sorry they started it. Tliu object of usiuj; gas wits to reduce nian-powei- by rendering'the men temporarily or permanently incapable.' 'J.'hero were three forms of gas attack. The cylinder attack was dealt with by the speaker, who stated that the cylinders contained about 561b. of liquefied gas. The cylinders were stored in .the iire trench in pairs. 'JUio gas was released through rubber tubes, and as it was heavier than air it travelled along the ground. It was comparatively easily made and easily distributed. A very small portion of the gas was sufficient to put a man out of action. The gas was released by experts, and when the release, was to take place everyone was cleared out of the. trenches. The wind . must be blowing towards the enemy trenches if the gas was to prove effective, and the velocity of the wind must also be taken into account. Wind blowing at the rate of three miles an hour was not sufficient,' but from seven miles to ten-miles was very favourable, (iaa had been known to be effectivo at 9000 yards, and under very favourable conditions at 26,000 yards—about 15 miles. The nature of the ground must r.lso be studied, and the most favourable ground was that which sloped upwards towards the enemy. The first intimation or warning that one got that gas was being released was the noise made by the gas, which could also be seen. There were three kinds of gas used. Chlorine gas affected, the lungs, another affected the heart, .and these two were generally released together; the third' gas affected the eyes. The second gas, when released by itself, did not all'ect a man for an hour after he had inhaled 'it.. The tear gas was generally distributed in "tearshells." Tiie other two gases were also sent across in shells, particularly ehlor'ino gas. In addition to gas, frequent use was made of smoke, and as/the two looked alike they were often sandwiched, and it was difficult to distinguish the one from the other,

When the wind was favourable for a gas attack a message or warning was sent around to the front trenches, which whs known as. the "gas alert wariiing, , ' and the men would put on their gas lielmets. After a gas attack every rifle and machine-gun had to be thoroughly cleaned, because the gas affected these weapons. If a man was v.ouuded during a gas attack it would tm found that lie was auxious to tear away his gu? helmet, and,it had been necessary on occasion to tie the hands of. wounded men .to prevent them from doing so. Vai'imis means were adopted for warning the men of a gas attack. In the back trenches a horn or a motor hooter was used. The lecturer exhibited a. smoke helmet, also a gas helmet, and. showed how they were manipulated.