British ’Propak’ Unit

[Kohima]

Came across this while rummaging through me drawers (Ooh-er, missus! Don’t! &c…).

I have American, German and Japanese examples of wartime prophylactic kits and condoms (even a battlefield dug-up German one!), but this one had eluded me for many, many years and is particularly hard to find.
I remember being especially pleased to have found this rare piece:

A British issued ’Propak’ kit - comprising a printed paper envelope, which still contains a Durex condom and a urethral cream injector tube in its paper wrapper (all stored in a neat little drawstring cotton bag), dated May 1944.
Such kits were freely issued to British and Allied troops prior to landing in occupied Europe, as VD was a major contributor to casualty figures throughout the war, and likely to rise (almost) as soon as they were ashore and inland!
Indeed, contraction of any social disease, without having used protection, had become such a problem that it was to be considered a self-inflicted wound and was a severely punishable offence!