The Gas Attacks at Hulluch was a conflict in World War I, 27–29 April 1916, involving the 16th (Irish) Division of the British Army's XIX Corps.
The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on the night of the 27th suffered a heavily-concentrated German chlorine gas attack near the German-held village of Hulluch, a mile north of Loos.
The German began preparing for the attack during April when they placed about 7,400 cylinders along a 3 km front. The Germans began an attack by first releasing smoke, followed by the gas 1½ hours later from 3,800 cylinders. This subterfuge caused the British Army troops to dispense with their Phenate-Hexamine Goggle helmets after the smoke was released, resulting in 549 casualties during the attack, of whom 139 were killed.
Other units of the 16th Division, including the Royal Irish Rifles, the Royal Munster Fusiliers and The Royal Dublin Fusiliers were called in to stem the German attack.
On the 29th, the Germans attacked with gas again but this time the wind blew the gas back upon them. 232 British troops were killed and 488 were wounded, with a partial German casualty list of 453.
Hulluch was one of the most heavily-concentrated gas attacks of the war.
Famous quotes containing the words gas and/or attack:
“one pale woman all alone,
The daylight kissing her wan hair,
Loitered beneath the gas lamps’ flare,
With lips of flame and heart of stone.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“... possibly there is no needful occupation which is wholly unbeautiful. The beauty of work depends upon the way we meet it—whether we arm ourselves each morning to attack it as an enemy that must be vanquished before night comes, or whether we open our eyes with the sunrise to welcome it as an approaching friend who will keep us delightful company all day, and who will make us feel, at evening, that the day was well worth its fatigues.”
—Lucy Larcom (1824–1893)