World War II - Gas Masks

1. The British Government believed that some form of poison gas would be used on the population during World War II.

2. They decided to issue gas masks to everyone in Britain.

3. By 1940 thirty-eight million gas masks had been produced.

4. Different ones were produced for different sections of the population.

5. Adult gas masks were black.

6. Colourful ‘Mickey Mouse’ masks were made for children.

7. Air was sucked through a filter to take out the gas.

8. Babies put into one-piece gas masks that covered their whole bodies.

9. Filtered air was pumped into these masks by means of hand bellows.

10. Air-raid wardens had masks with long hoses and speaking boxes which could be attached to their belts.

11. Gas masks were also made for dogs and horses.

12. Gas masks covered the whole face, were claustrophobic and smelled of rubber.

13. People were supposed to carry their gas masks at all times.

14. Gas masks were carried in cardboard boxes with instructions on the lids.

15. Drills were practised and these were a daily feature of school life

16. Children had to put their gas masks on, check whether they fitted properly and breathe normally.

17. People stopped carrying their gas masks as war went on.

18. Air-raid wardens carried out monthly inspections to make sure people carried their gas masks.

19. People were fined if they were caught without their gas masks.

20. School children carried their gas masks throughout war.

21. The warning of a gas attack was a hand rattle and a bell indicated the ‘all clear’.

22. A gas attack never happened in Britain during World War II.