Military Instructors ManualCole, J. P. (James Perry)
History
Military Instructors Manual
Cole, J. P. (James Perry)
Military art and science; United States. Army -- Military life; United States. Army -- Officers' handbooks
Protection of dugouts, cellars, buildings, etc., is given if all
entrances are closed by well-fitting doors or by blankets sprayed with
hypo. solution. Practically no gas passes through a wet blanket, and
the protection depends on getting a good joint at the sides and bottom
of a doorway, so as to stop all draughts. This can be effected by
letting the blanket rest on battens, fixed with a slight slope,
against the door frame. The blanket should overlap the outer sides and
a fold should lie on the ground at the bottom. A pole is fastened to
the blanket, which allows the latter to be rolled up on the frame and
causes it to fall evenly.
Wherever possible, particularly where there is likely to be movement
in and out of the shelter, two blankets fitted in this way but sloping
in opposite directions should be provided. There should be an interval
of at least three feet between the two frames, and the larger this
vestibule is made the more efficient is the dugout.
When not in use, the blankets should be rolled up and held so that
they can be readily released, and should be sprayed occasionally with
water or a little Vermorel sprayer solution.
If the blankets became stiff from a deposit of chemicals, they should
be sprayed with water.
All ranks must be taught how to use gas-proof dugouts, _e.g._, how to
enter a protected doorway quickly, replacing the blanket immediately,
and carrying in as little outside air as possible.
The protection afforded by these means is just as complete against
lachrymatory gases as it is against cloud gas and poisonous shell
gases.
(2) SHELTERS WHICH SHOULD BE PROTECTED:
The following should always be protected:
Medical aid posts and advanced dressing stations; Company, Battalion
and Brigade Headquarters; signal shelters and any other place where
work has to be carried out during a gas attack.
In addition to the above, it is desirable to protect all dugouts,
cellars and buildings within the shell area, particularly those of
artillery personnel. It should be noted, however, that the protection
of dugouts for troops in the front line of trenches is usually
inadvisable on account of the delay involved in getting men out in
time of attack. It is desirable to protect stretcher bearers' dugouts
with a view to putting casualties in them.
D. Protection of Weapons and Equipment:
Arms and ammunition and the metal parts of special equipment (_e.g._,
telephone instruments) must be carefully protected against gas by
greasing them or keeping them completely covered. Otherwise,
particularly in damp weather, they may rust or corrode so badly as to
refuse to act. A mineral oil must be used for this purpose. The
following in particular should be protected:
(1) SMALL ARMS AND S.A.A.
Machine guns and rifles must be kept carefully cleaned and well oiled.
The effects of corrosion of ammunition are of even more importance
than the direct effects of gas upon machine guns and rifles.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account