100 years ago

Soldiers suffering from the effects of asphyxiation who had returned to Paris, stated that the vapour cloud which they had experienced resembled a solid mass of a yellow colour which did not exceed five feet in height.

One sergeant, who remained standing throughout the attack, was able to keep his head above the fumes which reached his chin. He experienced no symptoms of asphyxiation.

The same thing had happened with several artillery observers.

An Army doctor stated that he was of the opinion that bromide fumes had been used.

A celebrated chemist and inventor of explosives thought it was either bromide or peroxide gas, and considered that the best manner of combating such a mode of attack would be to spray large quantities of liquid ammonia which would both dissipate either kind of fume and counteract its effect.

Soldiers might, he considered, also be supplied with small flasks of ammonia for the purpose of inhaling. It was stated that the French Government had ordered special masks which would be supplied to troops without delay.


50 years ago

The gradual movement of citizens out of York had presented a problem for local Boy Scouts.

For while many of the Scouts now lived on the outskirts, their headquarters remained in York itself.

The 1st York Group, with headquarters currently in Hamilton Drive, Holgate, was hoping to move to Poppleton in the near future.

In fact, it already had a temporary home at Dodsworth Hall, Nether Poppleton.

"It happened that the 1st York Group was right on the main bus route from Poppleton and so it got a fair percentage of Poppleton lads," said Mr Arthur Clayton, District Commissioner for York West and South.

"What we have in mind now is to take the groups out to the main areas of population on the outskirts of the city."


25 years ago

Low alcohol beer was still considered a drink for "wimps" in Yorkshire, according to a survey just published.

The stigma had disappeared in the South, but men in the North were still worried it could harm their macho reputation, it said. But the results were disputed by two breweries selling non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beers across the country.

A spokesman for Guinness, whose Kaliber no-alcohol lager had done much to expand the market in "nab-labs" - no-alcohol and low-alcohol beers - confirmed sales varied across the country. But the North was catching up, he said.

Low-alcohol and no-alcohol beers still accounted for only two per cent of beer sales, but they were expected to soar from £201 million the previous year, to £1.2 billion in 1994, said the survey.