Year 8 Wilton Scholars

On Tuesday 8th November, Year 8 Wilton Scholars enjoyed a highly challenging workshop led by Mr Turbitt. Entitled 'Dulce et Decorum Est' which explored the role of chemists in World War 1.

We began by having our invited bugle player,  John Denno playing the last post. Originally the Last Post call had another function at the close of a day of battle. It signalled to those who were still out and wounded or separated that the fighting was done, and to follow the sound of the call to find safety and rest. Afterwards we talked through the poem Dulce et Decorum Est and we discussed Fritz Haber, the German scientist who developed Chlorine gas as a weapon of war and its use at the Second Battle of Ypres. Then we made some chlorine gas and discussed its suitability as a weapon.

Fritz Haber is an interesting character, his Haber- Bosch process developed chemical fertilizers and allowed for more intensive farming methods, it enabled the population explosion of the 20th Century. It is estimated at the moment that 80% of the Nitrogen in our bodies emanates directly from this process. He saved lives from his chemistry but the motivation for its creation was to allow a more independent Germany in any war. His chemistry was also at the heart of Zyklon A, a pesticide, which was taken by the Nazi's after his death in 1934 and transformed into a chemical with a much more malign usage in Auschwitz- Birkenau.

Our discussion at the end was whether Haber was a good man. The pupils were told to make up their own minds - they are Wilton Scholars after all.

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