The Gas Attack - The Aftermath

Hi Chums, apologies for not reporting on time, I was took ill and then I've been on the move and not able to post to you.

Well I'm fit again and back with the Battalion, well what's left of it. In my last post I wrote about the gas attack and the devastating effect it had on me and others. Well chums the truth is that the battalion went into the front at full strength. That was 88 officers and 1070 other ranks. At the roll call after the attack there was only 8 Officers and 80 other ranks. The rest were dead, missing or like yours truly in first aid posts or hospital.

What a bloody devastation. That's 90% of officers and 92.5% of other ranks as casualties. This gas is bloody evil.

My mucker copped for it and I've found out off my mates that Jacky Lynn passed away. He was a true hero. Some say he stopped the Hun attack almost single handedly. I know this for a fact. I was there with him as he blazed away. There's talk that he ought to be awarded the Victoria Cross. If anyone deserves this honour then it is Jack alright. He was selfless to the last. He would give you anything and everything, He was true to the corps and always thought of his mates.

After I left the front Jacky was still there left almost alone blazing until he was overcome. Those chaps lucky enough to have good working flannelette protection carried him to the reserve trench and later the hospital. He was said to be blue and gasping for air and died a horrible death the next day. Poor chap he gave his life for the battalion. He stayed in the midst of the gas firing for all he was worth without any protection from the gas.

Apparently us blokes in B Company faired the best on the day. We saw the gas coming first due to ourselves being able to see the Hun lines clearly. Our chums in A and D Companies didn't get any warning. We sent a runner but he couldn't get there in time.

The gas caught A and D Companies totally unawares. They had no time to prepare. Such was the shock of the gas being upon them that the men couldn't don their handkerchiefs or flanalettes. Their lungs rapidly filled with gas and in a blind panic they abandoned the trench and ran away from the gas. The breeze following it forced it onto them at a pace so in their terror they ran even quicker.

The first that C company knew of the Gas was when they saw the clouds coming for them and then as they scrambled for their flanalettes and handkerchiefs they heard the footsteps of men running and leaping their trench. This was A and D Companies. Seeing this terrified stampede they up and left their trench.

To make things worse the Hun sent over shells and shrapnel into the trenches in this area. Obviously his aim was to lay down as much devastating fire so that the Hun attacking force that followed up the gas would find very little opposition. It was extremely effective, lots of men got killed or injured with the shelling. Those unlucky enough to get injured as the gas was passing died from asphyxiation. The gas burnt their lungs away and they died gasping for air. It must have been horrendous.

The gas attack, shelling and shrapnel caused the whole of the trench systems to the left of Shell Trap Farm to be abandoned. This was about 300 yards of front line totally unmanned!

The only thing that saved the day was my Company, B Company. We had stood our ground and had fired into the cloud for all we were worth. Jacky Lynn had put down the most withering hail of bullets and had undoubtedly stopped the Hun follow up attack. Had he not done this the Hun would have stormed our front trenches and broke through to the reserve and communication trenches. He would have probably got as far as Wieltje before being stopped.

Undoubtedly our action and that of Jacky's saved the front. Some of my Company that wasn't overcome by the gas said that once the gas had cleared the ground in front of our trenches was strewn with dead and injured Hun. There were hundreds of them. Jacky's blazing mowed them down, stopping them in their track.

After the gas had gone the absent A and D Companies was noticed. Then some movement was seen in the trench. My comrades in B Company sent some men down to check. Fortunately it was the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders who were in reserve that had moved up.

So on the evening of the 2nd and for the whole of the 3rd the line was held like this. Some of my Company and the Argyle and Sutherlanders.

Of the men in my Company who also showed great spirit and courage are lieutenant Hawkins and Captain Tyrrell. Lieutenant Hawkins stayed at the front throughout the gas attack and commanded the men that remained in our trench. Captain Tyrell is our medical officer. At the start of the gas rolling over he shouted the order to don our masks. He shouted out to wet them with anything that comes to hand. Then during the attack as we blazed away at the Hun he ran up and down the line oiling everyone's rifles. I can tell you mine got hot and the rifle bolt started to get stiff but after some oil from Captain Tyrell I was soon back in action. This was the same for all the other chaps who were blazing away. He helped save the day.

Well chums I now back with the battalion. After the gas attack what was left of the battalion was relieved on the night of the 3rd and retired to dugouts to the right of Vlamertinge. Then they moved on the 8th to a field 4 miles north of Poperinge where they bivouaced. The battalion stayed here until the 13th. During this time 158 reinforcements (or should I say replacements) joined.

On the 13th the battalion moved to dugouts to the left of Vlamertinge.
Then on the 15th they relieved the Royal Irish in the trenches to the west of Shell Trap Farm. On the 17th another 201 reinforcements joined. Yours truly also returned during this period.

For the las two days, the 18th and 19th, we have constantly got shelled. We've had 2 killed and 18 wounded.

Today we've been relieved by the Hampshire's. We've retired to dugouts in the support line.

So chums that brings you up to date. I've had my closest shave with death so far. That blasted gas nearly got me. If I hadn't peed on my hanky I would have been a gonner. I don't want to face that stuff again.

The regiment is still about 200 or 300 under strength even though we've had over 350 reinforcements.  It'll be some time before were back to strength. I'm hoping for a bit of rest away from the front. To go to some quiet spot but I doubt we'll get that.

So chums bye for now. Albert is still here, alive and kicking.

Albert x