22nd April 1915

[Flyby PC 23]

It was today in 1915 that the Second battle of Ypres was launched, which saw the first use of Chlorine gas on the Western Front.

 

 

http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/ypres2.htm

 

 

http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/2ndypres_germanstatement.htm

[catch 81]

Horrible absolutely horrible. Chemical warfare is the most insidious disgrace of the human species. Right up there next to Paris Hilton and the like.

[Bullethead 12]

I had a great uncle in this mess. He was a Foreign Legion officer in charge of some colonial troops. Needless to say, it was a bad day for him, but he survived it.

 

 

[Flyby PC 23]

The page I read said the very first attack was dropped on French Algerian and territorial division troops, though it doesn't mention the Legion. Gas affected 10,000 troops, half of whom died within the first 10 minutes.

 

I guess if he wasn't actually there BH, sounds like he wasn't far away.

[JimAttrill 24]

And the German inventors of WWI poison gas went on to receive Nobel Prizes for Chemistry. It's a funny old world, no?

[Bullethead 12]

The page I read said the very first attack was dropped on French Algerian and territorial division troops, though it doesn't mention the Legion.

 

He wasn't in a Legion unit there; he was a Legion officer seconded to one of the colonial regiments, which I understand wasn't uncommon. Until the US got involved, he served with a number of French colonial units, never with a line unit IIRC. Then after the war, he got back in the Legion.