Yellow Cross shell

Gelbkreuz-geschoss, n. (MU.) "yellow cross projectile or shdl. -kampfstoff, -stoff, m. yellow cross shell filling (mustard gas or other vesicant). 

In searching for a more effective combat gas, therefore, the Germans hod available many data in the literature concerning mustard and had quantity production and test it in the field. This they did quite secretly in the spring of 1917 and were so ivelt satisfied with the rcsult.s obtained that they adopted it as an artillery-shell filling and jiecumulat< d a large quantity of these (Yellow Cross) shell before the Allies were aware of this development. 

Gelbkreuz (Yellow Cross—German WWI Shell) Sulfur Mustard, C03-A001... 

Gelbkreuz 1 (Yellow Cross 1—German WWI Shell) Bis(chloromethyl) Ether CIO-A... 

But this wati more fortuitous than deliberate, and the line. of demarcation were not clear cut. Shell containing ethyldichlorarsine were at first marked as Yellow Cross 1, but were later chaiiged to Gre< n Cros,s 3, when it was found that thi.s gas wa. sufficiently no >er.si.stivu to Im it.se/1 on the offensive. 

Dichloroethyl sulphide was called yperite by the French, because it was used at Ypre it was also called yellow cross from the marking on the German shell which contained the gas. It was popularly known as mustard-gas the name given to it when it was first used, on account of a fancied resemblance in the odor of the gas to that of mustard. It was known to the British as H. S. (Hunstoff). 

---