White Cross is a World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 chemical warfare

Chemical warfare

Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from Nuclear warfare and Biological warfare, which together make up NBC, the military acronym for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical...

 agent consisting of one or more lachrymatory agent

Lachrymatory agent

Tear gas, formally known as a lachrymatory agent or lachrymator , is a non-lethal chemical weapon that stimulates the corneal nerves in the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even blindness...

s: bromoacetone

Bromoacetone

Bromoacetone is a chemical compound with the formula 3CCH2. This colorless liquid is a lachrymatory agent. It is a precursor to other organic compounds....

 (BA), bromobenzyl cyanide

Bromobenzyl cyanide

Bromobenzyl cyanide is an obsolete lachrymatory agent introduced World War I as a harassing gas by the Allied Powers.-External links:** *...

 (Camite), bromomethyl ethyl ketone (homomartonite, Bn-stoff), chloroacetone

Chloroacetone

Chloroacetone is a chemical compound with the formula 3CCH2. At STP it is a colourless liquid with a pungent odour. On exposure to light, it turns to a dark yellow-amber colour. It was used as a tear gas in World War I.-Applications:...

 (Tonite, A-stoff), ethyl bromoacetate

Ethyl bromoacetate

Ethyl 2-bromoacetate is the chemical compound with the formula CH2BrCO2C2H5. It is the ethyl ester of bromoacetic acid and is prepared in two steps from acetic acid.-Applications:...

, and/or xylyl bromide

Xylyl bromide

Xylyl bromide, also known as methylbenzyl bromide or T-stoff, is a poisonous organic chemical compound with the formula C8H9Br, formerly used as a tear gas...

.

During World war I, White Cross was also a generic code name used by the German Army

German Army (German Empire)

The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...

 for artillery shells with an irritant chemical payload affecting the eyes and mucous membranes.

See also

• Blue Cross (chemical warfare)
  Blue Cross (chemical warfare)
  Blue Cross is a World War I chemical warfare agent consisting of diphenylchloroarsine , diphenylcyanoarsine , ethyldichloroarsine , and/or methyldichloroarsine...
  
  
• Green Cross (chemical warfare)
  Green Cross (chemical warfare)
  Green Cross is a World War I chemical warfare pulmonary agent consisting of chloropicrin , phosgene and/or trichloromethyl chloroformate ....
  
  
• Yellow Cross (chemical warfare)
  Yellow Cross (chemical warfare)
  Yellow Cross is a World War I chemical warfare agent usually based on sulfur mustard .The original Gelbkreuz was a composition of 80-90% of sulfur mustard and 10-20% of tetrachloromethane or chlorobenzene as a solvent which lowered its viscosity and acted as an antifreeze, or, alternatively, 80%...