Shell Crisis of 1915 - Definition and Overview

The Shell Crisis of 1915 brought down the government of the United Kingdom (then engaged in World War I) because it was widely perceived that the production of artillery shells for use by the British Army was inadequate.

After the failure of the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, the British Commander-in-Chief Field Marshal Sir John French mentioned to The Times war correspondent, Colonel Charles Repington, that it failed due to a lack of shells. The Shell Scandal was reported back to the Home Front by The Times, which described the scandal in graphic detail, clearly pointing the finger of blame at the government.

This led the Shell Crisis of 1915 which bought down the Liberal British government under the Premiership of Henry Asquith. He formed a new coalition government dominated by Liberals and appointed Lloyd George as Minister of Munitions. It was a recognition that the whole economy would have to be geared for war if the Allies were to prevail on the Western Front.

External links

• The Shell Scandal, 1915 (http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/shellscandal.htm)