more on the gas mask

[kevin1947]

is it a ww11 paras gas mask ??

[Battery Command Post]

is it a ww11 paras gas mask ??

There are two points to make here. Firstly, there is no such thing as a "para gas mask". Airborne forces were issued the same anti-gas equipment as everyone else. This is a Light Pattern Anti-Gas Respirator, first introduced in 1943 to replace the Service Respirator Mk V. Although it was issued on a priority basis to front-line units, it has nothing to do with "paras", except from the point of view of a dealer trying to get as much money from it as possible This particular example would appear to be the later model, as the voicemitter sticks 'out' rather than 'in'. The early models had separate cork plugs to seal the mask's voicemitter inside and out.

The second point is the date of it. The Haversack is clearly dated 3/44 (March 1944) and the strap 2/44 (February 1944), so WW2 manufacture for sure. The head harness on this example would seem to be dated 6/64 (June 1964). The date of the rubber mask is also usually moulded into it, normally in the area of the right cheek.

I would have to say "no, it isn't" to your question...

Rob

[Adrian Stevenson]

Rob has covered it.

Danish Army re-issues of these were £10 each at Beltring this week.

Cheers, Ade.

[baroque4days]

There are two points to make here. Firstly, there is no such thing as a "para gas mask". Airborne forces were issued the same anti-gas equipment as everyone else. This is a Light Pattern Anti-Gas Respirator, first introduced in 1943 to replace the Service Respirator Mk V. Although it was issued on a priority basis to front-line units, it has nothing to do with "paras", except from the point of view of a dealer trying to get as much money from it as possible This particular example would appear to be the later model, as the voicemitter sticks 'out' rather than 'in'. The early models had separate cork plugs to seal the mask's voicemitter inside and out.

The second point is the date of it. The Haversack is clearly dated 3/44 (March 1944) and the strap 2/44 (February 1944), so WW2 manufacture for sure. The head harness on this example would seem to be dated 6/64 (June 1964). The date of the rubber mask is also usually moulded into it, normally in the area of the right cheek.

I would have to say "no, it isn't" to your question...

Rob

The request was made in 1941 for the Light AG Respirator to be made and was first Operationally used with Airborne forces. The most common model, the Mk. IIA was a standard service Rqespirator but, as said, the earlier models were designed with assault troops, and later paras, in mind. The example here is a Mk. 6, the standard issue Respirator of the early 1950s, however, LAGRs during the war had L3 Valve Holders from about 1943. Some even had diaphragms screwed inside.