Antedating of "Tear Gas"

Hugo hugovk at GMAIL.COM
Mon Oct 21 09:13:28 UTC 2013


"tear gas" (OED: 1917, Trench Journals: July 1916)

Here's a May and June 1916.

---

This same story was published in all these newspapers on 20th May 1916, and is a "Special from the Official New Zealand War Correspondent" dated 15 May from "British Headquarters (France)/"New Zealand Headquarters (France)"/"SOMEWHERE".

[Begin]
Wearing the new helmets, the men have been put through practice in fighting in poisonous pas, and have also been given experience of tear gas and flame projectors, and taught to use smoke clouds to mask their fire.
[End]


THE ITALIAN THEATRE.
Oamaru Mail, 20 May 1916
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=OAM19160520.2.41.4&srpos=6&e=-----1916--100--1-byDA---2tear+gas--

NEW ZEALAND TROOPS
Evening Post, 20 May 1916
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19160520.2.32.5&srpos=7&e=-----1916--100--1-byDA---2tear+gas--

NEWS FROM OUR BOYS.
Poverty Bay Herald, 20 May 1916
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=PBH19160520.2.14.12&srpos=8&e=-----1916--100--1-byDA---2tear+gas--

WITH THE "ANZACS" IN FRANCE
Dominion, 20 May 1916
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=DOM19160520.2.32&srpos=9&e=-----1916--100--1-byDA---2tear+gas--

THE ANZAC ARMY.
Press, 20 May 1916
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP19160520.2.58&srpos=10&e=-----1916--100--1-byDA---2tear+gas--

LAST NIGHT'S NEWS.
Ashburton Guardian, 20 May 1916
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AG19160520.2.27.4&srpos=11&e=-----1916--100--1-byDA---2tear+gas--

THE WEST FRONT
Otago Daily Times, 20 May 1916
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=ODT19160520.2.39&srpos=12&e=-----1916--100--1-byDA---2tear+gas--

---

An Australian newspaper on the smell.

Letters From France. SOLDIER'S FIRST IMPRESSIONS.
Camperdown Chronicle (Vic. : 1877 - 1954) Tuesday 20 June 1916 p 4 Article

[Begin]
PRECAUTIONS FOR FRIGHTFUL-
NESS.
- "We underwent a rather novel and
curious experience yesterday, in that
we were 'gassed' twice. After a
lecture on the gas that is used on this
front, they exploded a couple of gren-
ades, containing what is known as
'tear gas,' as it affects the eyes and
makes them very sore. It smells like
pineapple, and it does brings the tears
to the eyes. We are to be issued gog-
gles to protect the eyes against this
stuff, and have already got respirators,
or helmets, for the deadly chlorine gas.
which has caused such havoc.
[End]

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/22989408?searchTerm=%22tear%20gas%22&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||l-word=*ignore*%7C*ignore*|||fromyyyy|||notWords|||anyWords|||tomm|||toyyyy=1916|||todd|||frommm|||fromdd|||sortby=dateAsc#pstart3749470

---

Hugo




> Date:    Sat, 19 Oct 2013 01:59:11 +0000
> From:    "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> Subject: Antedating of "Tear Gas"
>
> tear gas (OED 1917)
>
> 1916 _2/1st South Wales Mounted Brigade Revue_ July 1 (Trench Journals and =
> Unit Magazines of the First World War)  Caution must be exercised not to pl=
> ant the Onions in proximity to the potatoes, as Tear Gas Goggles are not av=
> ailable for the eyes of the latter.
>
> 1916 _The Wit: The Organ of the R.A.M.C. Training Centre, Ripon_ 1 Sept. 6 =
> (Trench Journals and Unit Magazines of the First World War)  This gas they =
> sent over in shells; another gas we have been through is the tear gas.  It'=
> s awful stuff, yet pleasant to smell, it made my eyes smart, water and ache=
> , until I could hardly see.

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