Her guard of honor was told to keep their gas masks close
Gas masks for infants
School-bound child and warden practice wearing gas masks
Trying out their gas masks
Teacher fits gas mask on child
Gas attack poster
The fear of gas attacks during World War II came from experiences in World War I, when British soldiers were gassed by the Germans in France. Many never fully regained their health. In the Second World War, air raid wardens used wooden rattles (ratchets) to warn the citizenry that a possible gas attack was imminent. Gas masks were to be kept within easy reach wherever one went and people were fined if they didn't have their gas mask with them. After a gas attack scare, a bell would be rung by ARP wardens that it was safe to remove the masks.
There were no gas attacks on Britain during WWII so the effectiveness of the precautions were never tested under field conditions.
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