Gas attacks
First World War Audio Archive
Gas attacks
Transcript
Seven soldier posing for photograph in front of their tent.
the battery. I was foolish in that way. I refused to leave the battery, because once you get down at the reinforcement unit, it might take months before you get back, you know, and I liked the job too much. We had to wear respirators a lot of the time. Just before Hill 70, I know, we were subjected on our jumping off point to gas and I was fairly sick that morning but still I wouldn’t go, I kept on. And then they’d have this tear gas. It was in the air practically all the bloody time. At night, you’d get into your little dugout and you’d drop your blanketsTwo soldiers posing for a portrait.
which had been impregnated with some sort of juice or something. It would combat the gas, keep the gas out, and it smelled worse than the gas did.Description
Mr. Conrad describes being slightly gassed, and countermeasures against gas attacks.
Frank Benjamin Conrad
Frank Benjamin Conrad was born in Sturgeon, Prince Edward Island on July 25, 1894. He enlisted in November 1914 with the 9th Field Ambulance and trained at Valcartier until June, 1915 when he transferred to the 2nd Canadian Siege Battery at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. He sailed to England aboard the S.S. Lapland on November 28, 1915, and arrived in France on June 1, 1916 as a signaler with the rank of Gunner. He saw action at the Somme, Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, and Passchendaele. He was wounded twice, was gassed at Hill 70, and won the Military Medal for maintaining communications under fire. After the war, Mr. Conrad married Florence Jessie Lantz on September 22, 1923 and established a wholesale food company in Charlottetown. He joined #6 Signals Company as Lieutenant, and eventually commanded the Company before retiring in 1938 as a Lieutenant-Colonel. He re-enlisted in 1940 as a Major with 3rd Divisional Signal Regiment, and served in England and Italy, commanding the Canadian Brigade Reinforcement Unit as a Lieutenant-Colonel. After the Second World War he was appointed District Administrator, DVA, for Prince Edward Island. Mr. Conrad died on August 13, 1986.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 1:04
- Person Interviewed:
- Frank Benjamin Conrad
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- First World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Europe
- Battle/Campaign:
- Vimy
- Branch:
- Army
- Units/Ship:
- 2nd Canadian Siege Battery
- Rank:
- Gunner, Lieutenant
- Occupation:
- Signalman
Attestation
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