"Why were people given gas masks during the war?" Topic

"Gas had been used a great deal in the First World War and many soldiers had died or been injured in gas attacks. Mustard gas was the most deadly of all the poisonous chemicals used during World War I. It was almost odourless (could not be smelt easily) and took 12 hours to take effect. It was so powerful that only small amounts needed to be added to weapons like high explosive shells to have devastating effects…"
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Amicalement
Armand

It is a rather facile site with need for much proof reading.
The answer seems to be "They feared gas attack".

I thought we would get much more on how much protection they would have provided against Blistering agents and esp nerve gases…or how little? Equally the Allies vast stocks of such and the plans to use in the event of Invasion.

It is a rather facile site with need for much proof reading.

It's a simple resource site to help young kids with their homework. Spelling could be improved, no doubt, but you expect too much.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

So hang on.

This is somewhere on the 60/40 split?

Any posting by Tango is either total rubbish or simply amazing stuff.

For me the debate is which is which. Honestly, if what 10% of what he finds is of value…let us give thanks and praise, amen.

This is rubbish. But Please…let him carry on…..

Without him and his 40%…?

Gas was let out by bombing from an allied ship berthed in Italy in 43/44.
Gas was available just not used.

Did a post get deleted or something?

If Armand didn't spend so much time finding and posting links there would be a lot less threads.

I think that means less interesting threads. Which would be bad.

I really don't follow the logic says less links would be better. Somehow the threads are wasting some people's time?
Anyone thinking that could save their time by just not visiting the website at all.

Thanks Armand.

Thanks for your kindly words my friend! (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

You da Man, Armand!

B

Based on use of Gas in WWI, the general thought was it would be used again in WWII. And it was only in very, very rarely, in WWII as we saw.

Of course like many things in war, they may have been better than nothing in some cases.

I've heard later in WWII, some of the carriers slung over the soldiers' shoulders were used to carry items other than the mask it was intended to. E.g. food, etc., …

I've heard later in WWII, some of the carriers slung over the soldiers' shoulders were used to carry items other than the mask it was intended to. E.g. food, etc., …

On exercise, in the late 1970s to early 1980s, I carried chocolate in my respirator case – along with the respirator, of course. There was plenty of room in the case and the Velcro fastenings made access easier and more secure than the webbing pouches.

The usual fate of gas masks :)

On exercise, in the late 1970s to early 1980s, I carried chocolate in my respirator case – along with the respirator, of course.

Yeah we always had our Protective[gas]masks in the case slung across our torso. But I don't know if anyone used it to carry more than just the mask ? But I sure it probably happened. The mask in the carrier did make a good "pillow" at times I know …

Scott +1 ! GIs didn't/don't want to carry anything more than they have to …

Most of them threw away the gas masks, but a lot of them kept the very useful bag--to carry other stuff.

I think the example of gas use on civilians in the pre WW2 move Things to Come got people a little worried that it might happen. Thus the UK government, at least, issued masks to the citizens.

Yes, there was a lot of interwar worry about gas usage. The British even had gas protection devices for infants. In a fictional account of a US-Japan war in the early 30s the author had aircraft using poison gas (effectively) against enemy warships. Killing the crews, but leaving the ships undamaged.