Where there any recorded uses by either side of Gas in the Middle East? Also, what were the casualties inflicted and did the Ottomans have useful gas masks.

Yes - they had the German masks (I've got photos of them wearing the M1915 "Gummis" in Galicia...I believe that they were also on isue in the Palestine)

dave.

Wiking

Gas was used by British forces during the preliminary bombardment of 19 April 1917 (second battle of Gaza). I do not know if the enemy used it. Certainly gas was not used on Gallipoli by either side.

The effect of the gas at Gaza that day was regarded as "limited". I have no casualty figures; the area in which gas was used was also heavily pounded by conventional shells

Regards

Andrew

See thread here for further information.

Robert

The link to the old thread is very useful as it notes gas was also used by British forces at 3rd Battle of Gaza (Oct/Nov 1917). The Turkish official record of the battle notes the effect of gas was negligible - no casualties, which lead the Turkish commanders to conclude that yellow smoke from exploding shells was mistaken for gas by the troops on the ground.

I cannot actualy find any record of gas used at Third Gaza in either the Official British or Australian histories of the battle, yet its use at 2nd Gaza is in both. Rob, you can help?

Regards

Andrew

Gas threads come up quite frequently
this was a recent one
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...8&hl=sheffy

Very interesting thread Michael.

I must be missing it! Still not sure if gas was actually used at 3rd Gaza

Edit: I am starting to beleive "no'

Andrew

I must be missing it! Still not sure if gas was actually used at 3rd Gaza

Andrew

From the same article referred to previously(see http://wih.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/12/3/278)

During the third battle of Gaza, launched on 31 October
1917, he attacked Beersheba, in the eastern sector of the Ottoman
defence line, while making every effort to convince his enemies that the
EEF’s main effort would be again directed at Gaza in the western sector.
Most of the British heavy artillery fire, including all chemical shelling,
was concentrated in the Gaza sector, and during five nights about
10 000 poison and lachrymatory shells were fired on 30 targets, causing
at least 150 Turkish casualties. Until the end of the war about 100 000
chemical shells were stockpiled in Palestine and Egypt, but they were
never used again on this front. The Ottoman army never responded in
kind, despite grave British concern, and there is no information to indicate
it even possessed such weapons, having rejected German offers.

regards
Michael

Thanks Michael

I was missing something!