Gas attack at Hulluch

Battle of Hulluch
Part of the Western Front of World War I
Date 27 April 1916 – 29 April 1916 Location Hulluch, France Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Major General John Hickie
Strength
1 Division of approx. 8000 men
Casualties and losses
338 dead, 1,260 wounded	under 500

The Gas Attack at Hulluch was an engagement in World War I, from 27 to 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,^{[citation needed]} 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.

References

• Edmonds, J. (1932). Military Operations France and Belgium, 1916 I (Sir Douglas Haig's Command to the 1st July : Battle of the Somme). Nashville: Battery Press (1993 reprint). ISBN 0-89839-185-7. 
• Haber, Ludwig Fritz. The Poisonous Cloud. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-858142-0. 
• Jones, Simon (2002). World War I Gas Warfare Tactics and Equipment. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-151-9. 
• Punch, Kieron. "A Brief History of the 16th "Irish" Division". The Wild Geese Today. Retrieved 2007-11-09. 
• "Irish Battalions". Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association. Retrieved 2007-11-09.