The gas was held in shells and on detonation, bursting with a dull plop, sprayed the liquid over a
seven metre radius. Contact with either the liquid or the vapour, which evaporated in sunlight,
caused injury. However, the lack of any immediate symptoms meant that troops did not keep their
masks on and did not appreciate the danger of being in the vicinity of the shells. At first those in
the bombardment suffered only slight irritation of the nose, which caused some sneezing. However,
in an hour or two they suffered painful inflammation of the eyes, vomiting, followed by reddening
of the skin and blistering. Large numbers of casualties began to report to medical units: on 3-14
July a total of 2,143 were admitted to these four units. By the time they reached the Casualty
Clearing Station the conjunctivitis had developed so rapidly that they were virtually blind and had
to be led in files, each man holding on to the man in front, guided by an orderly or lightly wounded.
The majority suffered little distress to their breathing, although some exhibited a husky voice and a
hard cough. After a few more hours symptoms of laryngitis, tracheitis and bronchitis became more
definite in a large number of the cases and some developed grave or fatal broncho-pneumonia,
which is what probably happened to Rupert, as well as the influenza.
(25 General Hospital)
He died on 4th July 1918, in 25 General Hospital, of pneumonia following gas and then suffering
from influenza. The First World War created thousands of casualties. New weapons such as the
machine gun caused unprecedented damage to the soldiers’ bodies. This presented new challenges
to doctors on both sides in this conflict, as they sought to save their patients’ lives and limit the
harm to their bodies. Casualties had to be taken from the field of battle to the places where they
could be treated. They were collected by stretcher bearers and moved by a combination of people,
horse and cart and later by motorised ambulances, down the line. Men would be removed until they
reached a location where treatment for their specific injury would take place.