Chemical weapons in World War I in Palestine during the Second Battle of Gaza. Russia began manufacturing chlorine gas in 1916, with phosgene being produced later in the year. Most of the manufactured gas was never used. The British Army first used mustard gas in November 1917 at Cambrai, after their armies had captured a stockpile of German mustard gas shells. It took the British more than a year to develop their own mustard gas weapon, with production of the chemicals centred on Avonmouth Docks. (The only option available to the British was the Despretz–Niemann–Guthrie process). This was used first in September 1918 during the breaking
Gas mask wearer to breathe the safer air found there. In addition, moist sponges were inserted at the end of the hoses in order to better filter the air. This was later modified to include its own air supply, leading to World War I era gas masks.<ref name="pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica2"></ref><ref name="encyclopedia.com/topic/Garrett_Morgan2"></ref><ref name="biography.com/people/garrett-morgan2"></ref> The German army used poison gas for the first time against Allied troops at the Second Battle of Ypres, Belgium on 22 April 1915. As an immediate response was cotton wool wrapped in muslin issued to the troops by 1 May. This was followed by the Black Veil Respirator, invented by John