WWI gas rattle
Soldiers on both sides of the First World War used these wooden devices to warn of a suspected chemical weapon attack
A simple but sombre relic of an horrific weapon of war
During WWI, poisonous gases were released silently from cylinders or quietly discharged from exploding gas artillery shells. To counter this new and sinister threat, various devices were used to warn soldiers such of a chemical attack. Low maintenance alarms could be large, empty cartridge cases that acted like bells or gongs. They could be installed at regular intervals in frontline trenches and sounded if a gas attack was suspected.
Spreading the alarm further behind in communication or rear trenches required louder devices and methods. Soldiers could bang bayonets on their helmets but this risked exposing their heads to fire and gas.
Air horns and bells were also used but they could not be easily sounded by marching troops and were not easily portable.
The solution was the introduction of the ‘Gas Rattle’. Similar in design to ones used by policemen, the rattle was a hand-operated ratchet device that made a distinctively sharp and loud clacking noise when turned rapidly. Lightweight, portable and inexpensive to manufacture, the rattle became a commonplace local alarm that was reasonably effective. It enabled troops to quickly put on their protective gas equipment, such as hoods and respirators. However, the rattle had to be sounded before the soldiers were first exposed to gas otherwise their protection would be ineffective.
Apart from it’s distinctive sound gas rattles had another, distinctly unofficial, wartime use. Primarily made out of wood, they often went missing in trenches where dry kindling for cooking fires was often in short supply. After the war ended, rattles subsequently became popular among football fans that used them as a noisemaker to cheer on their teams.
“GAS RATTLES HAD ANOTHER, DISTINCTLY UNOFFICIAL, WARTIME USE. PRIMARILY MADE OUT OF WOOD, THEY OFTEN WENT MISSING IN TRENCHES WHERE DRY KINDLING FOR COOKING FIRES WAS OFTEN IN SHORT SUPPLY”