Jackson’s Design Department. March 1916- April 1918.
There appear to be no surviving documents detailing the compromises that led to Jackson and the Chemical Advisory Committee withdrawing their resignations. Jackson, probably out of a sense of duty, acquiesced to most of Du Cane’s demands and continued to lead on trench warfare research. He was removed from his position as an independent Director-General to be appointed Controller of Trench Warfare Research, losing the authority to recommend the adoption of trench warfare equipment by the army; that function fell to Du Cane, in line with the other munitions developed by the Design Department. His department became progressively absorbed into the main activities of the Department of Munitions Design with Du Cane organising the Department of Munitions Design into two Branches along lines identical to those of the Directorate of Artillery, each under a Deputy Director-General. Jackson’s new sub-department, termed the Trench Warfare Committee, remained semi-independent of these two groupings and by the middle of the year was increasingly focused on chemical warfare.[1]
The Department of Munitions Design was now assisted and advised by a newly constituted Ordnance Committee, almost identical in function and with many of the same members, as the now-defunct War Office Ordnance Board. Its main subcommittees were the Small Arms (Design) Committee, the Anti-Aircraft Equipment Committee, the Chemical Advisory Committee, and the Munitions Design (Trench Warfare) Committee. Their role was to consider and advise on munitions and other equipment that fell within their spheres of expertise. In keeping with the generally negative attitude expressed across the Ministry of Munition towards chemical munitions Jackson’s research in this area continued more on less independent of the other research and development activities conducted in Munition Design, a feeling of independence enhanced by them having their own drawing office, direct control over their experimental grounds, particularly the new one at Porton Down, and a close research and supply relationship with the Special Brigade in France and the Divisional and Army Gas Advisors attached to the BEF.
[1] This should not be confused with the later, separate committee of the same name created by Winston Churchill in 1917.