"Poisonous Gas on Ships" Topic

Just finished reading the Derfflinger Gunnery Officer's account of Jutland. He mentions a couple of times having to don gas masks because of the build up in poisonous gasses. First in the engine room and then in his gunnery station after a shell exploded nearby. He talks about yellow gas coming through the observation slits.

What is the cause of this? Did the British Luddite shells create some secondary gas or were gas shells used? It sounded like the buildup of gases in the engine room might have also been the result of shell impacts filtering down below decks.

I would have expected smoke to be present and cause it's own problems but this is described more like mustard gas.

So what's the cause? Was this a problem equally for both British and German navy or something unique?

I think that is Lyddite rather than Luddite – autocorrect strikes again.

Something to do with Picric acid?

Yes – autocorrect wins again!

That's what I was wondering? If connected to Lyddite then it would have been a unique problem for the Germans and an advantageous secondary benefit for the British.

It was a problem noted at Tsushima, but I think there it was noted by the Russians as the Japanese were using HE vs AP shells.

The post-detonation asphyxiating fumes were a result of the chemical make-up of Lyddite and Shimose, which were similar in nature. The Russian experience with Japanese Shimose (plus the effects of fires in confined spaces) is quite probably why respirators had become standard issue equipment by WW1.

Interestingly, Sir Percy Scot seriously studied the implications of employment of poison gas (whether by aerial bomb or projectile against warships.

FWIW.

B

Poison gas against ships seems inherently stupid.

If it's lighter than air it won't affect them.

If it's heavier than air it'll roll over the side. Plus the ship is moving, so it will be left behind.

If you can penetrate the ship enough to deliver the gas inside, then HE would be more effective.

Hi Mark,
Don't disregard the possibility of gas being sucked into the ship through its ventilation system. Percy Scott considered it an issue worthy of serious investigation in terms of viability.

All sorts of projectile schemes were explored – even shaped charge warheads to pierce heavy armor (actually revived by the Soviets during the Cold War as a means of attacking the huge CVNs of the USN.

FWIW.

B

Campbell's accounts I read from the German gun turrets being evacuated because of poisonous fumes were from British non-penetrating HE rounds that blew up topside.

Wolfhag