An odious bit of research...

[Chris Boonzaier]

I have docs to lots of strange units, but this one has a funny smell about it....

[Ulsterman]

I'll bite-what did Pioneer Battalion 35 do- manage honey wagons at the front?

[Guest Rick Research]

OK boys, the 35th's almost ready!

[Chris Boonzaier]

Indeed. The battalion were specialized in managing Gas canisters.

Few pioniers did as it was to become mainly an artillery thing.

[PKeating]

A grim aspect of the Great War indeed. Why do the guys in Rick's photograph remind me of modern-day Rentokil operatives? Imagine them in white vans with pest control equipment and baseball caps...

PK

[Chip]

Guys,

I thought the gas unit was the 35.Pionier Regiment?

Chip

Edited November 8, 2007 by Chip

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi

Pionier Regts 35 and (later) 36 were the gas Regts, in 1917 they were disbanded and Pionier battalions 35-38 were formed.

Best

Chris

[bob lembke]

Hi

Pionier Regts 35 and (later) 36 were the gas Regts, in 1917 they were disbanded and Pionier battalions 35-28 were formed.

Best

Chris

Yes, I believe that Pionier=Regimente Nr. 35 u. 36 were two-battalion regiments, and as there must have been some sort of overall command of the gas effort, the regimental level of command was really not very necessary, as I would think that few gas attacks would have involved two or more battalions. With the serious shortage of officers, it made sense to eliminate this layer of command.

I understand that four of the officers of Pionier=Regiment Nr. 35 later received Nobel Prizes in either chemistry or physics, including Haber, the interesting "father" of the German gas effort.

Bob Lembke

[Chris Boonzaier]

P.S. later (in1918) the 39th also became a Gas Battalion and and the end of June 1918 the 94th - 96th also became gas troops.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Does anyone have any photos of the gas troups and their set up? I want to do a gas page for the site

Thanks

Xhris