Lakehurst Proving Ground

Some of the language in the book by Fries and West was copied from the Bancroft book. In this manuscript. Col. Bancroft details the Lakehurst Experimental Grounds. While some proving of shells may have taken place earlier, the first animal tests were not started until August 1, 1918. Construction had begun at Lakehurst on March 21,1918, with one captain, five lieutenants, and 25 enlisted men. Also, in August 1918 the Lakehurst... 

The Ordnance Department started construction of a proving ground at Edgewood near the shell filling plant in January 1918. A month later the department stopped work at Edgewood because it was felt that the location was not sufficiently isolated and started anew in the pine forests near Lakehurst, N.J. 

With the armistice the staff of the proving ground was quickly demobilized. In November 1919 the CWS established an officers training school at Lakehurst, where shortly afterwards the First Gas Regiment was stationed. In the spring of 1920 the service resumed testing operations. ... 

Experimental Grounds were transferred from the Ordnance Department to the new Chemical Warfare Service and the name changed to the Proving Division of the Chemical Warfare Service. From the Bancroft book, it is clear that the description of two complete and separate lines of trenches is a description of the Lakehurst trenches. It is equally clear from the dates in Bancroft s book and those on the actual test reports that the tests conducted in lines of trenches occurred at the AUES. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the Lakehurst Experimental Station copied the lines of trenches at AUES. 

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