WW2, British, Adult General Civilian (GC) Respirator Grouping Including ULTRA-RARE Ear Defenders.

Was £120 now £99

Civilian gas masks were issued to all British households from 1938 onwards. Design by scientists at Porton Down, Wiltshire, manufacture began in 1936. Assembly was completed in a government factory sited in an old mill in Blackburn, Lancashire. During the two years prior to the Munich crisis, they were stored in sealed tins of nitrogen with an initial 35 million being issued after Munich.

There were issued in 4 sizes: small, medium, large and extra-large, suitable for most members of the population. The filter was made of tinned steel containing a charcoal filter that was needed to be kept dry and was connected to the mask by a simple rubber band. Air was drawn in via the filter and exited via a simple rubber outlet valve situated above the filter. An additional filter was fitted, by wardens, after May 1940 to account for a new Arsenic-based gas.

This grouping consists of the box of issue, being a sturdy cardboard box with a strip of linen or string to be worn over the shoulder, ‘cottage industry’ produced outer shoulder bag which greatly extended the life of the issue box, respirator in excellent, supple condition and a set of ULTRA-RARE rubber ear defenders.

Priced to reflect overall excellent condition with the addition of the ultra-rare ear defenders.

Worthy of some research with its clear link to a Norwich based training college, named to an Ivie Hudson

Code: 315