51399: Gasmasks of the First World War
Creators: name: Project Team, First World War Poetry Digital Archive
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 430304
subject: British history
classificationCode: 430308
subject: European history (excl. British, classical Greek and Roman)
classificationCode: 430316
subject: International history

description: British stop-action and demonstration film of various gas masks and hoods used by both sides in the First World War, compiled about 1917. The first sequence consists of static or stop-action scenes of a number of gas masks or gashoods displayed one at a time against a white background. Firstly the British P or PH gashood of 1915 without its respirator valve in place. The German carrying case for their 1915 gashood with its Red Cross markings. The German respirator gauze pad of 1915, showing the contents of the pad. A Russian gas mask container of 1915 or 1916. An early French gashood of 1915 for the eyes and upper head only. A carrying satchel for the French respirator pad of 1915. A German gas mask with a leather facepiece, 1916, followed by its carrying canister. British mica anti-gas goggles of mid-1915. Probably a British container of detector strips for the presence of gas. A spare filter for the German 1916 pattern gas mask showing its contents. A German spare filter satchel, capable of carrying three filters, with one in place. Probably protective padding for a British small box respirator canister of 1916. A British black veiling face-mask of 1915 showing the chemically treated pad, followed by its carrying pouch. An experimental mask combining British eyepieces with the German filter system. A carrying canister for the German 1916 gas mask. The British 1917 pattern small box respirator, followed by its carrying satchel. Another view of the small box respirator, showing the detector guard and noseclip, followed by its carrying satchel. Three views of the US 1917 pattern small box respirator, including an example of the sectioned mouthpiece, followed by its carrying satchel with the record card open and another shot of the satchel. The French 'appareil respiratoire spÃ©cial' or ARS respirator of 1916, followed by its carrying case. The British large box respirator of 1916 in three versions, the second with goggles rather than eyepieces and the third opened to show the mask interior, followed by two views of the carrying satchel, showing its clip for fitting to the belt. A Russian respirator of about 1916. The British P or PH gashood with its respirator valve in place. A rare version of the British hypo gashood with a single mica window rather than eyepieces, 1915. The remainder of the film shows British gas mask tests. A platoon on the march receives a gas alert and dons its small box respirators at speed, checked by its officer before continuing the march. Thick (and presumably fake) gas swirling in front of the camera being cleared by a soldier, just visible, with an Ayrton Fan. Various Royal Engineer sergeants demonstrate how to put on, as fast as possible, the P or PH gashood, the same with goggles rather than eyepieces, a version of the large box respirator with separate goggles, the German 1916 pattern respirator, and the French M2 gashood. A final, and very realistic, training exercise of British troops firing from trenches wearing the small box respirator.