| These were the precautions against gas attack which the British Home Office prepared the civilian population for, from as early as 1938.The respirators issued for infants and children were indeed as shown and were popularly known as "Micky Mouse" gas masks and were red in colour.Babies had the respirator which were of black material and totally sealed off the baby and were known as "Incubators" unlike the IWM photograph type which does not show total sealing.These respirators for babies required a second person to pump air into the respirator, a task which everyone in a household, including older siblings were trained for.
Adults were issued with a normal type face respirator and there was considerable concern in the early part of the war that the Germans would use gas.Everyone was expected to take their own respirator with them during absences from their home.Those in the forces were subject to a charge if found without their respirator in their possession.This mandatory requirement was eased as the war went on when it became apparent that Hitler would not use gas for fear of retaliation
I would add that these precautions were not seen by US citizens and in Great Britain, there was the added danger of being bombed.However the danger to British chidren from the facets of war was far removed from those children on the continent and the Eastern front caught up in warfare and subject to occupation by a brutal enemy.
They were all truly veterans of war. |