Gas masks at the Imperial War Museum
Wednesday 28th
July 1915: With some wry amusement the adjutant of the 2nd Bedfords has passed
onto us a request from General Headquarters for one hundred men from the corps
in which 7th Division resides to assist in experiments with poisoned gas. They
are “to assist the chemists who have been specially enlisted for dealing with
asphyxiating gases”.
Those wanted
should be “Intelligent men with experience in trench warfare”, who should volunteer
for the work. “A knowledge of chemistry or a scientific training would be an advantage,
but neither is essential. Great care should be taken to select suitable men, as
the work required of them is of a very responsible nature”. Of course,
intelligent men such as these are just the sort of soldier that every Battalion
needs are would be unwilling to part with.
These men
will be transferred to the Royal Engineers and given the rank of Corporal with
pay at the rate of 2/6d a day with 6d a day Engineer pay. This, of course,
would be a fair incentive for any private soldier not too wary at the prospect
of having to work with such inherently dangerous materials
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