shell scandal

Furore in the British press 1915 over supplies of ammunition to artillery units in the field.

Sir John French, British commander at Neuve Chapelle, cited lack of ammunition as the reason for his failure to the Times journalist Col Repington. Encouraged by Lloyd George, both the Times and the Daily Mail ran headline stories on the ‘Shell Scandal’, claiming War Office inefficiency was depriving front-line troops of ammunition. By this time, the difficulties had largely been overcome and the story had little lasting impact, although Lloyd George was appointed minister for munitions in the coalition government formed in May.