Gas attacks at Hulluch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gas attacks at Hulluch
Part of the Western Front of the First World War
Loos–Hulluch trenches (photographed in 1917)
Date 27–29 April 1916 Location Hulluch, France 50°29′12″N 02°49′03″E / 50.48667°N 2.81750°E / 50.48667; 2.81750 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Charles Kavanagh William Hickie	Otto von Stetten
Strength
I Corps 12th (Eastern) Division 15th (Scottish) Division 16th (Irish) Division	II Royal Bavarian Corps 3rd Bavarian Division 4th Bavarian Division
Casualties and losses
1,980 (1,260 gas casualties, 338 killed)	c.  1,500 gas casualties (data incomplete)

The Gas Attacks at Hulluch were two surprise attacks by German forces using poison gas during World War I. These attacks happened from April 27 to 29, 1916, near a small village called Hulluch in northern France. The German army used gas against British soldiers in this area.

On April 27, just before sunrise, German troops released a cloud of gas. This gas cloud, along with heavy artillery fire, hit the British 16th (Irish) Division and parts of the 15th (Scottish) Division. German raiding parties then tried to enter the British trenches.

Two days later, the Germans tried another gas attack. But this time, the wind changed direction. It blew the dangerous gas back over their own lines. This caused many German soldiers to become casualties. The British also fired at the German soldiers who were trying to escape the gas.

The gas used by the Germans was a mix of chlorine and phosgene. Phosgene was a very dangerous gas that had been used before in December 1915. The gas at Hulluch was so strong that it could get through the British gas masks at the time. Because of this, the 16th (Irish) Division was unfairly blamed for not being careful enough with their gas masks. This event led to faster production of a better gas mask called the Small Box Respirator.

Background of the War

Why were the battle lines like this?

By the end of 1915, the British armies in France often held positions that were lower than the German ones. The German positions were on higher ground. This meant they could see the British lines better. In early 1916, the British took over even more of the Western Front. This allowed French troops to move to Verdun.

The British and French didn't spend as much time building strong defenses. This gave the Germans an advantage. The German trenches had more barbed wire and deeper underground shelters. The British decided not to let these areas become quiet. Instead, they kept attacking with snipers, artillery, and raids. This often made the Germans attack back.

New ways of fighting in 1916

In early 1916, German soldiers had more and better equipment for trench warfare. This included good hand grenades and trench mortars. They also worked harder to fix and improve their defenses. The German army could move their artillery, ammunition, and soldiers more easily.

British tunnel builders were better than the Germans underground. But above ground, the number of machine guns and the amount of artillery fire were more important. Winning a small local attack often made the winners vulnerable to a counter-attack. It was also often harder to hold onto captured positions than the old ones.

Getting Ready for the Attack

German Plans and Preparations

The Germans started getting ready for the attack in April. They placed about 7,400 gas cylinders along a 3-kilometer (about 2-mile) front. This area was from Cité St Elie to Loos. The space between the two armies, called no man's land, was only about 110 to 270 meters (120–300 yards) wide here.

German artillery began to heavily shell British observation posts and supply areas. This shelling slowed down on April 24 and 25. On April 26, German troops raided the front of the 12th (Eastern) Division. The next day, April 27, was sunny and warm. The wind was blowing towards the British lines. The German plan was for the 4th Bavarian Division to follow up the gas attack with patrols. Two days later, a second gas attack was ordered. This happened even though the wind was not as good, and local German officers protested.

British Preparations

A German soldier left his army on April 23/24. He told the British that a gas attack was coming on the Hulluch front. This warning matched other signs the British had noticed. For example, rats had been seen leaving the German trenches. This suggested that gas cylinders might be leaking.

Because of this warning, Lieutenant-General Charles Kavanagh, who led the British I Corps, told his troops to be ready. The British were using PH helmets, which could protect against phosgene gas up to a certain level. The 15th (Scottish) Division was also moving in to replace the 12th (Eastern) Division. All British units had to practice gas alerts every day.

The Attacks

April 27: The First Gas Cloud

The German attack started with smoke, then a mix of chlorine and phosgene gas. About 3,800 gas cylinders were opened. This happened on the front lines of the Bavarian Infantry Regiment 5 (BIR 5) and Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment 5 (BRIR 5). Another gas release was canceled because the wind might have blown the gas onto the German 3rd Bavarian Division.

At 5:00 a.m., German artillery began firing shells. They hit the front of the 16th (Irish) Division and the right side of the 15th (Scottish) Division. At 5:10 a.m., gas and smoke clouds rose from the German trenches. The wind blew them towards the British lines. The gas cloud was so thick that you could only see 2 to 3 meters (2–3 yards). People 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) behind the front line had to wear gas masks. The smell was even noticed 24 kilometers (15 miles) away.

At 5:55 a.m., three German mines exploded. Then more artillery fired, and a second gas cloud was released. Small groups of about 20 German soldiers followed the gas. Three groups managed to get into the British trenches for a short time. By 7:30 a.m., all the German raiding parties had pulled back.

At 5:10 a.m., the 16th (Irish) Division sounded a gas alarm. British artillery began firing at the German lines. After 30 minutes, German infantry groups were seen heading for gaps in the British wire. They were pushed back by British rifle and machine-gun fire. Around 6:00 a.m., the three mines exploded, and another gas cloud was sent. This second cloud caused many casualties for a Black Watch company. Their commander had told them to take off their gas masks after the first cloud, thinking the masks were useless after one use.

April 29: The Wind Changes Sides

On April 29, at 3:45 a.m., German artillery started shelling the British lines again. A gas cloud was released, followed by white smoke. This happened even though the wind was not good for the Germans. German raiding parties moved forward, but the gas moved very slowly. Then, it suddenly blew back towards the German lines.

Many German soldiers were caught without their gas masks. About 1,500 German soldiers became gas casualties. On the right side, the 3rd Bavarian Division had 34 more casualties. The German shelling suddenly stopped as the gas spread south.

The British 48th Brigade recaptured the wood. A few hours later, a British howitzer gun, called the Lone How, was found still working. It had been so well hidden that the German raiders didn't see it. The British believed their artillery fire had destroyed some German gas cylinders. Eighty dead German soldiers were later found in and around the British trenches. By 7:30 a.m., the German attack was over.

What Happened After

Counting the Losses

On April 27, the 16th (Irish) Division lost 442 men. The 15th (Scottish) Division reported 107 losses. In total, from April 27 to 29, the British had 1,980 casualties. Of these, 1,260 were from gas, and 338 soldiers were killed.

The exact number of German casualties from the gas attacks is not fully known. One German regiment, BIR 9, had 419 casualties, with 286 from gas. Of those, 163 died. The 3rd Bavarian Division had 34 more gas casualties, with four deaths. A French report said the 4th Bavarian Division had 1,100 casualties from April 27 to 29. Later, in 1918, a British officer found the graves of 400 German gas casualties at a cemetery. In 1934, a diary from a captured German soldier recorded 1,600 gas casualties in the 4th Bavarian Division.

See also

• Phosgene attack 19 December 1915
• Gas attacks at Wulverghem