Saturday June 29th, 1918
Reveille 4:30. Equipment and clothing inspection. Gas drill in afternoon, cloud gas by bombs and cylinders and tear gas. Plenty gassed – very severe test. Gave khaki drill in. Issue of new serge and kit. Very tired at night. Orderly man – busy time.
Gas Drill
The commander of the 13th is keen that the troops have honed their firing skills and anti-gas tactics before they head to the Western Front. The final anti-gas test happens today under the guidance of the Army Gas Officer. Today, this involved clouds of smoke and tear gas being released from both bombs and cylinders. Other tests that the battalion has experienced before included going into a gas chamber, simulating conditions of gas in the trenches.
The photograph shows men of the Royal Field Artillery practicing box respirator drill during an anti-gas course at the Avington training camp near Winchester in England in September 1917.*
The small box respirator, first introduced in spring 1916, soon became the standard issue for all British soldiers and was much more effective than previous versions.º This would have been the type of gas mask used by Frank and the 13th in summer 1918.
Regardless, the drill doesn’t seem to have gone very well as Frank reports ‘plenty gassed – very severe test’.
Khaki Drill
The Battalion has an inspection of equipment and clothing today. After it, the soldiers are handing in their summer uniform of khaki drill. In return they will receive a new uniform of khaki serge – fit for travel and the Western Front.
In WWI the British armed services use ‘mobilization tables‘ to control their supply chains. These tables detail all the kit and equipment to which a unit is entitled in particular circumstances and cover everything from large pieces of equipment to pick axes and items of uniform. Presumably the Battalion has been given a new mobilization table for active service in France. Therefore it will be handing in redundant items and receiving new ones. According to the Battalion Diary some of the equipment being handed in includes items issued to an officer in November 1914.
13th (Service) Battalion War Diary – 29th June 1918 – Sarigueul
Day spent in handing in transport, khaki drill and mobilization & other stores surplus to new scale. One Officer’s changes was among the first to come to this Battalion in November 1914. Companies all held Kit Inspections. A, B & C Coys did 2 hours Gas Training under Army Gas Officer. A letter from Lt Col J Erskine DSO, commanding 8th KSLI formally 2nd in Command this Battalion wished us ‘Good Luck’ published with Battalion Orders.
References & Further Reading
º Gas Masks in WWI, History Learning Site
¹ Gas Warfare in the International Encyclopedia of WWI
* Q 30109, copyright Imperial War Museums