By late April 1915, the Ypres front once again became the sight of brutal fighting. On April 22, the Germans opened up on the Allied lines with an intense artillery barrage. As the barrage continued, a yellow-green cloud descended on the Allied lines. For the first time in the history of warfare, poison gas was being used. The Germans had launched shells of chlorine gas, more commonly know in the trenches as "green cross", onto the British and territorial troops holding the sector. The attack caused several of the defending units to flee their positions which opened a four mile long hole in the Allied lines.
The Germans quickly made use of the gap but under-estimated the time needed for the gas to dissipate and charged straight into their own gas cloud and the 1st Canadian Regt. which was the only unit to stay in the gas to repel the German assault. The Canadians held off the Germans long enough for reinforcements to arrive following the dissipation of the gas. The line once again stabilized.
However, the battle soon flared up again and random fighting took place all over the Ypres front. On May 24, the Germans launched a massive gas attack on the lines once more. The British managed to hold off the attackers but only by suffering terrible casualties. By the end of spring, the Ypres front had once again stabilized and the fighting had died down for the time being.
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