BEF (British Expeditionary Force) MkIV Respirator

[GasMasksUK]

This is one of several recent additions to my collection, and something I have been after for years. Its a MkIV fitted with the additional EA filter in the centre of the hose. These were mainly used (or so I have been led to believe) by the British Expeditionary Force or BEF for short. As a result of the well known retreat/evacuation from Europe back to Britain many of these respirators were lost due to them being abandoned along with other non essential equipment, or captured soldiers being removed of them by their German captors. This is one of several pieces that I really wish had a story to go with it, but unfortunately like the majority of items of collectable militaria, we'll never actually know.

Interestingly this particular example features the early facepiece design with the different exhale valve and eyepieces, the only example of this type I've seen which does.



Thanks

Danny

[Eric Zentner]

Great Respirator Danny congrats

Eric

[António Fragoeiro]

Very, very cool.
Well done, Danny.
Cheers
Nuno

[ruddersrangers44]

You shi**ing me Dan-o never knew these existed.any chance of some close ups of the exhale valve and eye pieces so for comparison referance mate,all the best and brill find congrats............Jake.P.S iv'e seen these with the fabric face cover dated 1937 but never any with that valve on the hose,thats just odd,but in a nice way.

[Larry C]

Rare Find Danny Congratulations!

[GasMasksUK]

Thanks for the kind comments guys Jake, I don't actually have the mask in my possession at the moment unfortunately, however I'm visiting home in just under a month so I'll make take some comparison photographs of this and my standard MkIV and post them on this thread.

Thanks

Danny

[ruddersrangers44]

Cheers Dan

[Adrian Stevenson]

Never even seen one before...Very nice buy.

Cheers, Ade.

[FALLSCHIRMJAGER]

That is one very rare and unusual respirator!! Well done, Leon.

[GasMasksUK]

As originally promised, here is some better photographs and a comparison between the early and late MkIV respirator facepieces.


BEF MkIV with EA filter


Comparison of standard late MKIV (left) and early BEF EA Filter MkIV


Comparison photographs of the early (left) and late (right) MkIV respirator components

Thanks

Danny