?? British WW2 Gasmask Bags ??

[roajeep]

The standard green canvas gasmask bag has a little cotton pocket in the bottom that can be secured with a pop-fastener. Does anyone know what this was used for ?

 

 

Thanks in advance,

 

David

[wdbikemad]

The standard green canvas gasmask bag has a little cotton pocket in the bottom that can be secured with a pop-fastener. Does anyone know what this was used for ?

 

 

Thanks in advance,

 

David

 

Indeed !!!.......used to secure the round or cylindrical tin of anti-dimming paste of various marks (for the lenses on the respirator)...........

 

There are several different versions of the WW2-era gas mask satchel.........at the start of WW2 the MK5 was the most common.....then they added a separate pocket sewn to one side of the satchel to accommodate the anti-gas eyeshields, etc, and satchels so modified were designated MK5A........then you moved on to the MK6 that had the extra pouches built in, followed by the MK7 that had a single flap and everything built-in..........all-in-all, a study in itself....:-D

 

Mint examples of the satchels go for silly money nowadays....I can still remember NOS examples sold for £2 in my local branch of Milletts......:-(....generally preferred by the fishing fraternity.....

 

The reason for eventually moving the dimming pouch out of the base of the respirator case in later marks is simply that it was a bugger to get to.........:-\

 

I never confessed on the Forum before, but I have a strange interest in WW2 British Army gas masks.......I have a fair collection of masks and cases accumulated over the last 20-odd years at the farm, including many rarities.......

 

"Would you like to know more?".....try and find a copy of the ENGLISH editions of Militaria Magazine published in the UK during the 90s....they contain a series of superb articles on WW2 British Army anti Gas equipment....everything is covered, eyeshields, capes, masks, haversacks, etc.......!

 

To add to the above, the 1943 "light" (D-Day) type (small) respirator case has a different pocket arrangement....but that's another story.....

Edited April 30, 2012 by wdbikemad