Over 100,000 of these fans were issued to British troops on the Western Front during the First World War. Invented by Mrs Hertha Ayrton, a civilian scientist, they were used to clear the gaseous residue that collected in shell-holes and craters after a gas attack.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30028169

  • @itsathursday
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    1910 months ago

    Absolutely nuts. “Shoo gas, move along now”.

    • Track_Shovel
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      710 months ago

      I’m just imagining a group of soldiers who forgot their masks during a gas attack frantically fanning the gas away

      • @mhague
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        110 months ago

        You didn’t fan the gas because it turned into a sludge that coated everything on the battlefield. Like sticky soda residue on everything but it kills you.