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"German Army Form for Report on Enemy Use of Gas" from Tactical and Technical Trends

The following intelligence report on German chemical warfare reporting methods was originally published in Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 8, Sept. 24, 1942.

[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department publication Tactical and Technical Trends. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]
 

GERMAN ARMY FORM FOR REPORT ON ENEMY USE OF GAS

While there has apparently been no extensive use of gas in the present war, its employment is an ever-present possibility. If gas is used by the enemy, it will be essential to get complete and accurate information back to higher headquarters without delay. In this connection, the following translation of a Germany Army form is of interest. The form is typically German in its thoroughness. The reference to horse casualties should be noted, bearing in mind that a large proportion of the transport in German nonmotorized divisions is horsedrawn.

The translation follows:

REPORT ON ENEMY USE OF GAS

a. Use

Method employed (bombardment, gas mine, projector, shell, cloud attack, spray from vehicles, spray from aircraft).
 

Day:
 
Began:
 
Finished:
 
Interruptions:
 
Area concerned (with map or sketch):
 
Supposed military object of attack:
 
Units concerned:
 
Kind of ground and vegetation:
 
Weather:
 
In the case of shell:
 
 
 
     Approximate no. of shells:
 
     Proportion of HE (%):
 
     Caliber:
 
     Rate of fire (rpm):
 
     Proportion of duds (%):
 
     Markings:
 
     Visibility of gas on detonation of shell:
 
     Noise on detonation:
 
     Disintegration of projectile:
 
 

b. Effects

Smell of gas:
 
 
 
Approximate strength of troops exposed to attack:
 
Number of gas casualties:
 
Apparent severity of gas injuries:
 
Immediate death rate:
 
Death rate at battalion aid station:
 
Death rate in other medical unit.
 
Number of horse casualties:
 
Number of dead or slaughtered horses:
 
Effects of Gas on:
 
 
 
     Eyes:
 
     Throat:
 
     Nose:
 
     Breathing passages:
 
     Digestive organs:
 
     Skin:
 
     Animals:
 
     Weapons:
 
     Clothing, equipment, saddlery:
 
     Vegetation:
 

c. Gas Defense

Arrangements:
 
Protective equipment used:
 
Time and result of using equipment:
 
Did the prompt wearing of the gas mask afford protection?
 
Results from gas identification set:
 
Supposed causes of casualties in personnel and animals:
 
In the case of ground contamination:
 
 
 
     Did the troops recognize the gas immediately?
 
     By what characteristic?
 
     Countermeasures taken:
 
     Behavior of the detector powder:
 
     Gas containers found:
 
     Description:
 
     Were specimens taken?
 
     Was the gas liquid or solid?
 
     Field-laboratory research results:
 
     Is the gas a known one?
 
     Nature of ground decontamination:
 
     Special observations on decontamination (e.g., did the gas inflame?):
 

d. Other Observations

 
 


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