The army-green gas mask is stamped “medium” in size and dated October 1941. It was manufactured by the Leyland and Birmingham Rubber Company Ltd. The General Civilian Respirator, often seen as a symbol of the British Home Front during WWII, was developed at Porton Down and patented by Major John A. Sadd in 1935. Its simple design enabled mass production, resulting in over 50 million units being issued to the British civilian population by the outbreak of war. The respirator featured a rubber facepiece, a celluloid eyepiece, a three-point adjustable head harness, and a filter held in place by a rubber band. Exhaled air would be expelled through the edges of the mask since it lacked an exhale valve. Different sizes were available, from children’s to adult sizes, and they were typically issued in a small cardboard box that also served as a carrier.
