<P> The first use of gas by the British was at the Battle of Loos , 25 September 1915 , but the attempt was a disaster . Chlorine , codenamed Red Star , was the agent to be used ( 140 tons arrayed in 5,100 cylinders ) , and the attack was dependent on a favorable wind . However , on this occasion the wind proved fickle , and the gas either lingered in no man 's land or , in places , blew back on the British trenches . This debacle was compounded when the gas could not be released from all the British canisters because the wrong turning keys were sent with them . Subsequent retaliatory German shelling hit some of those unused full cylinders , releasing more gas among the British troops . Exacerbating the situation were the primitive flannel gas masks distributed to the British . The masks got hot , and the small eye - pieces misted over , reducing visibility . Some of the troops lifted the masks to get some fresh air , causing them to be gassed . </P>
<P> The first use of gas by the British was at the Battle of Loos , 25 September 1915 , but the attempt was a disaster . Chlorine , codenamed Red Star , was the agent to be used ( 140 tons arrayed in 5,100 cylinders ) , and the attack was dependent on a favorable wind . However , on this occasion the wind proved fickle , and the gas either lingered in no man 's land or , in places , blew back on the British trenches . This debacle was compounded when the gas could not be released from all the British canisters because the wrong turning keys were sent with them . Subsequent retaliatory German shelling hit some of those unused full cylinders , releasing more gas among the British troops . Exacerbating the situation were the primitive flannel gas masks distributed to the British . The masks got hot , and the small eye - pieces misted over , reducing visibility . Some of the troops lifted the masks to get some fresh air , causing them to be gassed . </P>
when did the british first use gas in ww1
when did the british first use gas in ww1
25 September 1915
25 September 1915