Figure 1.--This was the London Central Gas Mask facyory at Alperton. The young women making the masks here were photographed in 1938 when the factory was in high production. This was from a newsreel made to reassure the British public. Source: Pathe Films

The British as a result of military assessments gave considerable priority to preparations for chemical weapons civil defense. Of all the World War II beligerant countries, the British gave the most attention to preparing the public for poison gas attack, primarily aerial attack. After the NAZIs announced the creation of the Luftwaffe, the British Government began to consider the possibility of a German air assault (1935). The appearance of the Luftwaffe in the Spanish Civil War only highlighted what Britain might face (1936). The gas masks were made at a factory in Blackburn Lancashire and in London. There is news reel footage about the plants' role in providing gas masks. Over 50 million gas masks were produced (March 1939). We have seen some lower quantities as low as 39 millionn. This may relect differences in dates. Gas masks were also called ‘civilian respirators’. They had a filter to keep the poison gas out of the lungs. The masks also protected the eyes. They came in different sizes and designs. The standard type was issued to the public and was worn by adults and older children. There were more advance types for air raid wardens and other important people. The masks looked very frigtening. Some more friendly and less intimidating gas mask was designed for pre-school children. These were brightly coloured and were intended to look like Mickey Mouse. Infants were too little for masks so they were put in a ‘protective helmet’. The baby would have been literally strapped in. Mother would then pump the air in ad out through a fliter. They were designed to work on World War I era gasses. The British were unaware of the nerve gasses that the Germans were developing.

Background

The British as a result of military assessments gave considerable priority to preparations for chemical weapons civil defense. Of all the World War II beligerant countries, the British gave the most attention to preparing the public for poison gas attack, primarily aerial attack. After the NAZIs announced the creation of the Luftwaffe, the British Government began to consider the possibility of a German air assault (1935). The appearance of the Luftwaffe in the Spanish Civil War only highlighted what Britain might face (1936).

Government Deliberations

Production

The gas masks were made at a factory in Blackburn Lancashire and in London. Government officials opened the Blackburn Factory (1937). The press gave it considerable publiity, incuding a Pathe newreel January 14, 1937). This was a government factory. The plant closed many years ago and is now a housing development. Here we see the young women working at Alperton - London Central Gas Mask factory (figure 1). This is also from a Pathe newreel (1938). At the time the Pathe cameras were at the plant, production had reached 2 million gas masks. Over 50 million gas masks were produced (March 1939). We have seen some lower quantities as low as 39 millionn. This may reflect differences in dates.

Design

Gas masks were also called ‘civilian respirators’. They had a filter to keep the poison gas out of the lungs. The masks also protected the eyes. They came in different sizes and designs. The standard type was issued to the public and was worn by adults and older children. There were more advance types for air raid wardens and other important people. The masks looked very frigtening. Some more friendly and less intimidating gas mask was designed for pre-school children. These were brightly coloured and were intended to look like Mickey Mouse. Infants were too little for masks so they were put in a ‘protective helmet’. The baby would have been literally strapped in. Mother would then pump the air in ad out through a fliter.

Munich (1938)

As the Munich crisis developed, the Government began handing some gas masks out to civilians. We are not sure just how many were passed out. At the peak of the crisis, Prime Miister Chamberlain assressed the British people (September 27, 1938). It looked like the when negotiations with Hitler might fail and that Britain was about to go to war. The speech became widely seen as a central explanation of his apeasement policy. At the time, large numbers of gas masks had been produced, but there was not enough yet for every British citizen. Among Chanverlain's remarks were, "How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is that we should be digging trenches and trying on gas masks here because of a quarrel in a far-away country between people of whom we know nothing. It seems still more impossible that a quarrel which has already been settled in principle should be the subject of war." After Munich, Chanberlin set out to improve relations with Hitler. Lord Halifax saw Hitler quite differently, regarding him as a 'criminal lunatic'. He was reported as saying, "There will be no more Munich's". Halifax also saw to it that the gas masks handed out did not have to be turned back in to the Government. [McDonough, p. 73.]

Effectiveness

The British gas masks were designed to work on World War I era gasses. The British were unaware of the nerve gasses that the Germans were developing. At the time that the British were ramping up producrion, a German scientist discovered Taban--the first nerve gas (1937). And the Germans discnot stop there. Theyb develop even more deadly nerve gasses during the War. These nerve gasses were an exponential increase in leathality over World War I chemical weapons.

Sources

McDonough, Frank. Neville Chamberlain:, Appeasement, and the British Road to War.

Created: 6:22 AM 12/27/2009
Last updated: 5:59 PM 12/27/2009