The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1918-07-25
CHAPTER xxIli.
Gas Attacks and sples.


Fritz, the Germans sent over gas. II
did not catch MS unnwares. because the
Wind had been made to order, that II.
II 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 a sharp lookout for gas
We had new mar at the periscope
on this afternoon In question; was
sitting on the fire step, cleaning my
rifle. when he called out 10 me:
There's n sort Of greenish, yellow
cloud rolling along the ground out IN
front, It's coming"
But waited for no more. grabbing
my hayonet. which was detached from
the rife. ! gave the alarm by banging
an empty shell case. which was hang
Ing Denr the periscope. At the same
Instant gongs started ringing down the
trench. the signal for Tommy to don
his respirator. or smoke helmet, ms We
call II.
Gas travels quickly, so you must not
lose any time; you generally have
about eighteen or twenty seconds IN
which 20 adjust your gas helmet.
A gas helmet II rsde Of cloth. treat.
ed with chemicals. There are two win
dows, or glass eyes, In II. through which
you can see. Inside there Is a rubber
covered tube. which goes In the mouth
You breathe through your nose IN,
gas, passing through the cloth helmet
Is neutrallzed by the action OF tn,
chemicals. The foul air Is exhalet
through the tube In the mouth. ihi.
tube being so constructed that IL pre-
vents the inhalIng Of the outside air ol
gas. one helmet is good for 1--WE hour,
OF the strongest gas. Each Tommy
carries two OF them slung around hi.
shoulder In a waterproof canvas bag
He must wear this bag at all times
even while sleeping. To change a de
fective helmet, you take out the neS,
one. hold your breath. pull the old one
on, placing the new one over your
head. tucklng In the loose ends under
the collar ~ your tunic.
For a minute. pandemonlum relgnet
In our trench-Tommles adjusting
their helmets. bombers running here
and there. and men turning out OF tn,
dugouts with fixed bayonets. TO man
the fire step.
Re-enforcements were pouring out OF
the communication trenches.
Our guns crew were busy mounting
the machine gun on the parapet and
bringing up extra ammunition from
the dugout.
German gas is heavier than air and
soon fills the trenches and dugouts
where IL has been known to Turk for
two or three days. until the air Is purl
fled by means OF large chemical spray.
ers.
We had to work quickly. as Fritz
generally follows the gas with an In.
fantry attack.
A company man on our right was
too slow In getting on his helmet; he
sank 10 the ground. clutchlng at his
throat, and after few .spasmodlc
twistings went West (dled). II was
horrible to- see him die. but we were
powerless TO help him. In the corner
OF a traverse. little, muddy cur dog
one OF the company's pets. was lying
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 to
save them. Tommy does not sympa-
thize with rats in gas attack.
At times gas has been known to
travel. with dire results. fifteen miles
behind the lines.
A gas. or smoke helmet. as Il Is
called. al the best is vile-smelllng
thing. and IL is not long before one gets
violent headache from wearing II.
Our eighteen-pounders were burst
ing In No Mans Land. In an effort. by
the artillery, to dispense the gas
clouds.
The fire step was lined with crouch
ing men. bayonets fixed, and bombs
near at hand TO repel the expected ut.
tack.
Our artillery had put barrage OF
and break up their attack and keep
back re-enforcements.
trained my machine gun on their
trench and Its bullets were raklng the
parapet.
Then over they came, bayonets glis-
tening. In their resplrators, which
have a large snout In front. they look
ed like some horrible nightmare.
All along our trench, rifles and ma
chine guns spoke, our shrapnel was
bursting over their heads. They went
down In heaps. but new ones took the
places OF the fallen. Nothing could
stop that mad rush. The Germans
reached our barbed wire. which had
previously been demolished by their
shells. then II was bomb against bomb.
and the devil for all.
Suddenly my head seemed to burst
from loud "crack" In my ear. Then