CrisGer
Charter Member
Crockett, that gas was probably Chlorine, the Germans first used gas on 22 April 1915 at Langemark-Poelkapelle, All the toxic agents used in that war hurt the lungs, some more than others. It was discovered that those who remained standing suffered the least, those who fell or lay in the trenches suffered more because the gas collected on the bottom of the trench. It was water soulible and therefore a wet handkerchief on the mouth and nose served many until masks were developed.
A cousin (female) drove Ambulances and was decorated by the King of Belgium for her valor under fire bringing Tommies and Yanks from the front lines. Another family member flew Camels for the RFC, after training in Canada, and cracking up 3, after he walked away from the third one, that was nose down in a pine forest, his CO said he was single handedly doing more for their procurement requests than the entire Canadian Parliment. He was yank but wanted to get in the action so he talked his way into the cockpit. He was in the Layfayette Esquadrille and I have his papers and memoires that have never been published, hence my interest in this amazing era. He talks a lot about the mud, the feel of the planes in flight (like riding a canvas stretcher wtih four guys trying to throw you off), the beauty of the things he saw, and much else. I never thought there might be a sim to give a feel of what he and others did. He talks about how the more missions they had to fly the more a feeling of dread came to rule them ...and then there was a point that you broke thru that, and just did not thiink about it anymore. You did your job and thought about food and leave. And thanked god for your mechanic and good canvas.
Other cousins in England flew, but where and with who i dont know yet. Most of my family were naval, my grandfather was on a DD at the time scouring Baja California for suspected German radio stations, he and another cousin Frlanklin Van Valkenberg Class of 09 Annapolis were our main naval ppl. Franklin rose thru the ranks to be skipper of the BB 39 (USS Arizona) and was at his post on the bridge on December 7, and remains there. Other cousins were airmen in the II but for now, and for here, i am so grateful for the service my ancestors and all of yours gave in the Great War....it was a long and very very hard one. Thanks and blessings to them all.
A cousin (female) drove Ambulances and was decorated by the King of Belgium for her valor under fire bringing Tommies and Yanks from the front lines. Another family member flew Camels for the RFC, after training in Canada, and cracking up 3, after he walked away from the third one, that was nose down in a pine forest, his CO said he was single handedly doing more for their procurement requests than the entire Canadian Parliment. He was yank but wanted to get in the action so he talked his way into the cockpit. He was in the Layfayette Esquadrille and I have his papers and memoires that have never been published, hence my interest in this amazing era. He talks a lot about the mud, the feel of the planes in flight (like riding a canvas stretcher wtih four guys trying to throw you off), the beauty of the things he saw, and much else. I never thought there might be a sim to give a feel of what he and others did. He talks about how the more missions they had to fly the more a feeling of dread came to rule them ...and then there was a point that you broke thru that, and just did not thiink about it anymore. You did your job and thought about food and leave. And thanked god for your mechanic and good canvas.
Other cousins in England flew, but where and with who i dont know yet. Most of my family were naval, my grandfather was on a DD at the time scouring Baja California for suspected German radio stations, he and another cousin Frlanklin Van Valkenberg Class of 09 Annapolis were our main naval ppl. Franklin rose thru the ranks to be skipper of the BB 39 (USS Arizona) and was at his post on the bridge on December 7, and remains there. Other cousins were airmen in the II but for now, and for here, i am so grateful for the service my ancestors and all of yours gave in the Great War....it was a long and very very hard one. Thanks and blessings to them all.