26 September 1918 Today in 1918, the British army began an offensive to break through the German ‘Hindenburg line’ in France, by firing 10,000 mustard gas shells at the enemy trenches. Another 22,000 gas shells exploded among the German lines over the next three days.1 Mustard gas was the most feared of the poison gasses…
18 December 1922 On 18 December 1922, the RAF’s Deputy Director of Operations and Intelligence, submitted a report to the Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Hugh Trenchard, suggesting possible ‘systems of attack against uncivilised tribes’. Britain was facing insurgencies across the Empire, and was particularly worried about the threat to continued British rule along…
6 July 1944 Writing a memo to General Sir Hastings Ismay on 6 July 1944, Winston Churchill urged the Chiefs of Staff to urgently consider the use of poison gas against German towns and cities. The memo came one month after British and American soldiers had landed in France and as Germany clearly faced imminent…
18 June 1920 On 18 June 1920, Secretary of State for War Winston Churchill circulated to Cabinet ministers the comments of the chief of the imperial general staff, Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson. The Field Marshal hated any interference in military matters by mistrustful politicians he derided as ‘Frocks’ and he had been incensed on…
3 May 1920 On 3 May 1920, Secretary of State for War Winston Churchill wrote a covering letter of support to a Cabinet memorandum by the Chief of the Imperial Staff, Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson, on gas warfare. Churchill declared that he was ‘in entire agreement with the views put forward by Sir Henry…
22 January 1979 On 22 January 1979, the Labour Cabinet almost unanimously approved the use of depleted uranium (DU) in anti-tank ammunition. The only voice raised in opposition to the use of the toxic and radioactive material was the Secretary of State for Energy, Tony Benn. He warned ministers that every nuclear power station in…
19 January 1917 On 19 January 1917, the War Cabinet briefly considered the request of General Sir Archibald Murray, commanding the British expeditionary force in Egypt, to be able to deploy poison gas against Turkish troops. Until then, it had been accepted that poison gas would not be used in the campaign unless the Turks…
14 January 1951 On 14 January 1951, military commanders and Colonial Office staff held a meeting in London to discuss a request from General Sir Gerald Templer, the High Commissioner in Malaya, who wished to drench extensive areas of jungle with chemical defoliants as part of a strategy to crush a communist insurgency by depriving…
BRITISH TROOPS RANSACK THE CRIMEAN PORT OF BALAKLAVA [ 26 September 1854 ] On 26 September 1854, the British army ransacked the small Crimean port of Balaclava. Professor Saul David comments that when they arrived they found ‘the port was largely deserted.: most of its 1500 inhabitants had already fled… leaving their homes to be…
CHURCHILL URGES THE R.A.F. TO CONSIDER USING MUSTARD GAS IN IRAQ [ 29 August 1920 ] On 29 August 1920, Secretary of State for Air Winston Churchill wrote to Hugh Trenchard, Chief of the Air Staff, urging that the RAF consider the use of ‘mustard gas’ bombs against ‘recalcitrant natives’ in Iraq.1 Mustard gas had…
