In dugouts provided with two or more exits, the fire should be placed at the inner end of one of the exit passages.
In general, 1 pound of dry wood per 200 cubic feet of air space is sufficient for clearance of any gas. The best fuel is split wood, but any fuel which does not smoulder or give off thick smoke can be used. The materials for the fire, e.g., the split wood, newspaper, and a small bottle of paraffine for lighting purposes, should be kept in a sand bag, enclosed in a biscuit tin provided with a lid. An improvised brazier should be kept ready for use.
The fire must be kept burning for at least ten minutes and the atmosphere in the shelter should be tested from time to time.
Ventilation by Fanning.—Dugouts can be ventilated by producing air currents in them by means of special anti-gas fans.
If no anti-gas fans are available, ventilation can be assisted by flapping with improvised fans such as sand bags, ground sheets, etc.
5. Cleaning Of Arms And Ammunition:
Rifles and machine guns must be cleaned after a gas attack and then re-oiled. Oil cleaning will prevent corrosion for 12 hours or more, but the first available opportunity must be taken to dismantle machine guns and clean all parts in boiling water containing a little soda. If this is not done, corrosion continues slowly even after oil cleaning and may ultimately put the gun out of action.
After a gas attack, S.A.A. should be carefully examined. All rounds affected by gas must be replaced by new cartridges immediately and the old ones cleaned and expended as soon as possible.
All hand and rifle grenades exposed to the gas should have their safety-pins and working parts cleaned and re-oiled.
All bright parts of light trench mortars, together with all accessories and spare parts exposed to the gas, must be cleaned and wiped dry as soon as possible after the attack and in any case within 24 hours, after which they should be thoroughly coated afresh with oil. The same applies to ammunition which may have been exposed to the gas.