The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-07-26
cAApTEA nxlll-cen.Inasa.

~
A gas helmet il uaaa ~ cloth. treat.
~ wigk chemicals. There are two win.
dows, Or glass eyes III t. through which
yau esn aee Inside there II a rubber.
covered tube. which goes 10 the mouth
You breathe through your moss the
gns, passing through tho cloth helmet,
4 neutrallzed by the action III the
chemicals. The foul air. Is exhaied
through the tube Ia the mouth, this
tube being w constructed shat ii pre-,
vents the lnhallnE Of the outside mir Or
Kas, One helmet u good fOF Ave hours
of the strongest gas Zach Tommy
carries two &c tbem slung around his
shoulder II waterproof canvas bng.
III must wear this bag 1T ali times,
egen while sleeping. 10 change 40.
feeslvv helmet, you take ont the new
enc, hold yuar breath. pull the 0ld one
IN, placing the new one over your
head, tueking 10 The loose ends under
THE collar II your tnnlc.
Fer minute, pandemonium relgncd
II our trench TDmmles adjusting
thelr helmets, hombers running here
and there, ana nca turning out II the
ingnuts witA ttxed hasonvss, 10 man
ihe IRE step.
eenfnFcvments we're pouring out Of
shs communication trenches
cur euh's crew we're busy mounting
che machine gun on the parapet and
bringing ~ extra ammunition from
the dag0at
German eas Is heavier than air and
soon flls the trenches aud tingouts
where II has been known 10 Turk fer
two or three days. until the air il pnrl.
Ned ~ mehns o. large chemical spray.
srs,
We had 70 work quickly. al Fritz
generally fellows tho gas with an ia.
tsntry attack
A company mas on our right was
too slow Ia getting on his helmet. he
sank 20 the ground. clutchlng III his
threat. and after few spasmodlc
twtstings weat West tiledl, ii was
horrible 10 see him dle bat We we're
pDweriFss q help him In the corner
of : traverse. q llttle muddy eur dog.
ona II The eumpany's pets. was lying
eead. with hts paws over bis nose.
It's he anlmals that suflw the most
1.-THE horses, mules cattle. dogs. cats
and rets they having no helmets 10
save thsW Tommy does not ympa.
tslne with gsts ia 4 gas attack
At tlnles gas has been known 10
travel with dire results. fifteen miles
behind ghe ilaes.
A Gas. e. smoke helmet. as ID Is
enlIed ID ihe hest Is a vile smelling
thlng. aud L 4 not long before one gets
violent headache fg0m wearing Il,
oar eighteen Founders were burst
tag h 80 Msns Land. Ia IA effort. by
the artillery 70 dispense the gas
eloaas
The hrN stFp was tlaed with eFaueh.
sng mea, aaypnefs Fixed. aud bombs
neaS 81 hand e repel lhe expected ~.
tack
our artillery had put a barrago OF
curtain frs "a the German lines. 10 try
sad nreAE pp their attack aud keep
back eat0Feenehts
trained my machine gun on their
treueh aud Is bullets we're raking the
parapet
Then aTrF they eams, bayunets glis.
truing IL their respiFators. which
hn1s q large spam la front, they look.
"a lsss soae h0Frlble nightmare.
Al atoee 0aF trsReh. rtfes aud ma,
elitne gnns spoke our shrapael was
hafstiEg egeE their heads, They went
daah u heapa. bpt ngW ones took tbs
plAees * the failca Nothing could
stop tbnt mad rush. The German,
reached our bzfbea wire. which had
previously BEEN demolished BY theft
shells. then Il was bauah against bomb
and t4s devil for all
suadeuls my head sssmed 70 bnrsi
from 4 loud Heraek Ia my ear. Their
NO. head began 70 swiEa. throat so
dr.. cad heavy pressure On the lnngi
warned me shst nay helmet was leak
Ing, Turning BY gun over 70 No 2
changed helmets
The trench started 70 wind like /
snake, aud sandbags appeared TO b
floating ID the air The aoiss was hor
ribie / sank onto the fire step. needle
seemed 70 be pFicking my flesh. the
biAckness.
] was awakened By one 0f ms mate
removing my smoke helmet How q
Acsous that sosl. fresh air felt In N
l~ngs.