Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-04-25
CHAPTER XIII.

CHAPTER XIII.
Gas Attacks and Spies.
Three days after we had silenced
Fritz, the Germans sent over gas. It
did not catch us unawares, because the
wind had been made to order, that is,
1t was blowing from the German
trenches toward ours at the rate Of
about five miles per hour.
Warnings had been passed down the
trench to keep sharp lookout for gas.
We had new man at the periscope,
on this afternoon in question; was
sitting on the fire step. cleaning my
rifle. when he called out to me:
There's a sort Of greenish, yellow
cloud rolling along the ground out I'M
front, It's coming"
But I waited for no more. grabbing
my bayonet, which was detached from
the rifle, I gave the alarm by banging
an empty shell case. which was hang
Ing near the periscope. At the same
instant, gongs started ringing down the
trench. the signal for Tommy to don
his respirator, or smoke helmet. as we
call 1t.
Gas travels quickly, so you must not
lose any time; you generally have
about eighteen or. twenty seconds in
which to adjust your gas helmet.
a gas helmet Is made Of cloth, treat
ed with chemicals. There are two win
dows, or glass eyes, in 1t, through which
you can see. Inside there Is rubber
covered tube, which goes in the mouth.
You breathe through your nose; the
gas, passing through the cloth helmet.
is neutralized by the action Of the
chemicals. The foul air is exhaled
through the tube in the mouth. this
tube being 80 constructed that 1t pre-.
vents the inhaling Of the outside air or
gas. One helmet is good for five hours
OF the strongest gas. Each Tommy
carries two Of them slung around his
shoulder in waterproof canvas bag.
He must wear this bag at all times.
even while sleeping. To change de-
eecttve helmet, you take out the new
one, hold your breath, pull the old one
on, placing the new one over your
head. tucking in the loose ends under
the collar of your tunic.
for minute, pandem0nium reigned
IN our trench-Tommies adjusting.
their helmets, bombers running here
and there, and men turning out Of the
dusouts with fixed bayonets, to MIN
the fire step.
he-enf0rcements were pouring ou: of
the communication trenches.
Our guns crew were busy noun fling
the machine gun on the parapet ana
bringing up extra ammunition from
the dugout. -
German gas is heavier than air ana
soon Ills the trenches and duponts;
where it has been known to lurk for
two or three days, until the air ia nurf.
ned by means of large chemical snrav-
ers.
We had to work quickly, as Fritz
generally follows the gas with nm in
fantry attack.
A company man on our right was
too slow in getting on his helmet: he
sank to the ground, clutching at his
throat, and after few spasmodic
twistings went West (died). It was
horrible to see him die, but we were,
powerless to help him. In the cornerr
ct traverse, little, muddy cur dos,
one OF the company's pets, was living
dead. with his paws over his nose.
It's the animals that suffer the most
the horses, mules, cattle, dogs cats
and rats-they having no helmets h
save them. Tommy does not sxnnu ,
thize with rats in a gas attack. :
At times gas has been known :
travel, with dire results, fifteen lilo
behind the lines.
A gas, or smoke helmet. as - ,
called, at the best is q xfle.su ,a,,;n
thing. and 1t Is not long before q 40 cot
violent headache froRa wears no -
Our elghteen-pounders wer hnrs
Ing liz No Mans Laad! 10 an, ,,ffort h
the artillery. to dispense tho 90
clouds. 81
The hre step was lined y itb crouot
ing men,. bayoaets Fixed. and homb
near ut hand to Eepel thes ar,octod a.
tack. eu :"
Our artillery had pux barrape
curtain IRE On the 0eras n ,inas 70 ~
and break Up their AZ ack and hoo
back re-saaorcementss
l trained my ma a'Ay 20 p,,n IN tho,
trench and its, bullasns. wara roL,na ~
parapet. Ae -
Then over they ,csn ,e bayon.ts oil,
tening. In their n spirators who
-, M. . iake snoaa,1 front, they lool
su ,Ae sosao nosaos nightmare.
an aionS ouFr1m .ch, rifles and mi
bursting over tAsir heads Thev wer
uopn 10 aeapAc IN new ones took tn
places Of ther tan en- Nothing coul
s'op inst mao 2 lsh. The German
teasaeo odcr paro ed wire. which ha
previously been demo,ished hv tho,
shells. then, u waa homh a oa,nst hom,
and the dsxn IA, ali
Suddanly NJ / heaa seemed to hurs
w. taea Ack.s Y my ear. The
II.