Initiation
The British organisational response to German offensive use of gas in late April 1915 was rapid. It was initiated and 21 graduate chemists who were already serving in the army were found and approved by Sir Alfred Keogh, Director of Medical Services. They landed at Le Havre from the ship “Normania” on 15 May 1915.
In late May 1915, an effort began to find men with training in chemistry for service overseas with the Corps of Royal Engineers. They would be recruited under terms of general service for the duration of war; be aged between 19 and 45; could fall outside the normal height and weight limits as long as they were otherwise fit. They would be enlisted into the corps and immediately given the rank of Corporal. The men would be paid two shillings and sixpence per day plus sixpence corps pay, and would qualify for separation allowance for dependents. After a recruit presented himself locally, he would be directed to the Central Recruiting Office at Great Scotland Yard in London for completion of the procedure. Men who were already serving under regular army terms could be transferred, but those who were in the Territorial Force or Special Reserve would technically have to be discharged and then re-enlisted for this service.
On 26 May 1915, Major Charles Howard Foulkes RE was appointed as a gas advisor to General Headquarters in France, having previously been in command of 11th Field Company. It was largely due to his efforts that the organisation developed, and he was eventually formally made commanding officer of the Special Brigade and on 17 June 1917 the GHQ Director of Gas Services. In the latter role he replaced Colonel (Temporary Major-General) Henry Fleetwood Thuillier.
By 30 July 1915, 400 men had joined. Of these, 274 were enlisted and 126 transferred in from other regiments.
Depot
Formed at Helfaut on 3 July 1915 with establishment for a headquarters and two companies.
War diary WO95/102.
Initial Establishment: Depot: Headquarters: 1 Captain in command, 1 Adjutant, 1 Company Sergeant Major, 1 Company Quartermaster Sergeant, 1 Pay Accountant Sergeant, 1 Sergeant Cook and 3 Cooks*, 2 Cyclists, 1 Telephonist, 2 Storemen, 2 Batmen*. Medical Officer, attached.
Initial Establishment: Company, each: Headquarters: 1 Captain in command, 1 Subaltern second in command, 1 Subaltern meteorologist, 1 Company Sergeant Major, 2 Cyclists, 1 Storeman, 3 Batmen*.
Initial Establishment: 10 Sections, each: Headquarters: 1 Subaltern in command, 2 Sergeants, 28 Corporals, 1 Cook*, 1 Batman*.
Note: cooks and batmen were from those medically rated as “Permanent Base”.
A Depot Company
Broken up on 8 January 1916.
B Depot Company
The depot took in officers and men who were sent from England or selected from the field, and provided them as drafts to the companies, either when that company was being raised or as reinforcements once the company was in operation.
186th Company
Number allotted at depot 25 July 1915. Company formed at depot 4 August 1915. Was made up of company headquarters unit and numbers 1 to 10 Sections. On 4 September 1915 the company was expanded to 18 Sections and left to come under orders of I Corps.
187th Company
Number allotted at depot 25 July 1915. Company formed at depot 4 August 1915. Was made up of company headquarters unit and numbers 11 to 20 Sections. On 4 September 1915 the company was expanded to 16 Sections and left to come under orders of IV Corps.
C Reserve Depot Company
Company formed at depot 4 August 1915.
Continued enlistment enabled two more companies to be raised:
188th Company
Company formed at depot 15 August 1915. Was made up of company headquarters unit and numbers 21 to 30 Sections.
189th Company
Company formed at depot 15 August 1915. Was made up of company headquarters unit and numbers 31 to 40 Sections. Sections 32 and 33 left company on 19 September 1915 to come under orders of Indian Corps.
On 16 August 1915 the addition of 1 Company Sergeant Major to each Company was authorised. This was followed on 24 August by the addition of 1 Company Quartermaster Sergeant.
On 25 September 1915, the companies were engaged in the first British offensive release of poison gas, at the start of the Battle of Loos. They reported the loss of three officers (1 suffering from gas, 1 wounded, 2 missing) and 149 other ranks (21 killed, 1 died of wounds, 72 suffering from gas, 15 missing, 39 wounded, 1 wounded and missing believed killed). A second gas attack was made later in the same battle, on 13 October. The companies reported the loss of one officer (suffering from gas) and 37 other ranks (3 killed, 18 wounded, 16 suffering from gas).
On 7 December 1915, officers and men who had been engaged on meteorological duties were transferred from the Special Companies to the RE Meteorological Section.
Note: the various companies and battalions listed below were frequently deployed as sub-units, attached to different corps and armies. The best way to trace the movement and action of any given one is by reference to its war diary. Note also that the naming of the units appears to have been rather loose before the formalisation of the Special Brigade (below).
Reorganisation and creation of Special Brigade
On 17 January 1916 the War Office sanctioned reorganisation of the existing gas organisation into a new Special Brigade. The original numbered companies were subsumed into the new organisation.
1st Battalion
Was made up of a small headquarters unit and four Companies, lettered as A to D Companies. Each company was made up of six numbered sections, with A having numbers 1 to 6 Sections, B having 7-12, C 13-18 and D 19-24.
A Special Company war diary WO95/241. Begins March 1917.
B Special Company war diary also WO95/241. Begins March 1917.
2nd Battalion
Was made up of a small headquarters unit and four Companies, lettered as E to H Companies. Each company was made up of six numbered sections, so for example E Company had numbers 25 to 30 Sections.
F Special Company war diary WO95/242. Begins March 1917.
3rd Battalion
Was made up of a small headquarters unit and four Companies, lettered as J to M Companies. Each company was made up of six numbered sections, so for example J Company had numbers 49 to 54 Sections.
M Special Company war diary WO95/549. Begins March 1917
4th Battalion
Was made up of a small headquarters unit and four Companies, lettered as N to Q Companies. Each company was made up of six numbered sections, so for example N Company had numbers 73 to 78 Sections.
N Special Company war diary WO95/402. Begins September 1917
P Special Company war diary WO95/334. Begins March 1917
5th (Mortar) Battalion, later renamed 5th Special Battalion
Began to be raised at Bilques on 28 February 1916. Was made up of a small headquarters unit and four Companies, numbered as 1 to 4 Special (Mortar) Companies. Each Company was made up of four lettered Sections, with A to D being part of 1 Company, E to H of 2 Company, and so on. Each Section had four numbered Sub-Sections, each of four 4-inch Stokes mortars.
Special Sections
Left Hatfield by train for Southampton on 24 June 1916, a total of 254 all ranks of which 38 were attached infantry and 14 were attached from the Army Service Corps. Landed next day at Le Havre. On arrival in the Somme sector, where a major build-up of force was in progress in anticipation of a forthcoming offensive, the Special Sections split up into a number of detachments. In the 18th (Eastern) Division’s area, the detachments erected and fired (on 1 July 1916) two large static flamethrowers, while three detachments attempted to take smaller equipment into action with the infantry brigades of the division. War diary WO95/122.
During February 1916, decisions were taken to develop a site at Les Attaques near Calais for use as a materials depot for the Special Brigade.
1917 reorganisation
The brigade was reorganised again on 12 February 1917, under a revision to the War Establishment that included renaming, so for example what had been known as “P Company, 4th Special Battalion RE” now became “4th Special Company RE”.
Gas Services – General Headquarters France
War Establishment (as defined 13 October 1917): 1 Director of Gas Services (Brigadier-General commanding Special Brigade); 1 Assistant Director of Gas Services (Lieutenant-Colonel also graded as a brigade commander); 1 Brigade Major (rank of Captain); 1 Staff Captain; 1 Intelligence Officer (rank of Captain); 1 Assistant Director of Gas Services (Lieutenant-Colonel RE or RAMC, employed on anti-gas measures); 1 Deputy Assistant Director of Gas Services (Captain RE, employed on anti-gas measures); 8 clerks (including 2 Staff-Sergeants, 1 Sergeant, 1 2nd Corporal, 1 Draughtsman); 4 Orderlies; 6 Batmen; 4 attached Drivers from ASC.
Also attached in a Central Laboratory service: 1 Director (rank of Lieutenant-Colonel); 1 Assistant Director (rank Major or Captain); 5 chemical advisors (2 Captains and 3 Lieutenants); 1 Quartermaster Sergeant; 3 sergeants (RE or RAMC); 2 clerks; 7 laboratory assistants (Corporals RE or RAMC); 1 Draughtsman; 1 Sapper; 8 Orderlies*, 5 Batmen*; 1 attached Driver from ASC. *These men were drawn from those medically rated as “Permanent Base”.
Z Special Company
In the reorganisation, the former Special Sections (flamethrower and Livens projectors) formed Z Special Company, which was placed under orders of 5th Special Battalion. War diary WO95/486.