German, WW2, GM38, RL1-41/82 Volksgasmaske (Peoples Gas Mask) Luftschutz Warndienst (LSW) or Air Raid Warning Service with With Steel Carrying Container. Sn - 22846:85 German, WW2, GM38, RL1-41/82 Volksgasmaske (Peoples Gas Mask) Luftschutz Warndienst (LSW) or Air Raid Warning Service with With Steel Carrying Container. Sn - 22846:85 Antique & Militaria

The People's Gas Mask was a principle developed in several countries during the Second World War that provided for the supply of gas masks to large parts of the civilian population. This was intended to reduce the effects of the possible use of chemical weapons in the bombing war against settlements. In most cases, the People's Gas Masks were less effective than the military versions but could be produced more quickly and cheaply. The German "People's Gas Mask" from Drägerwerke , which also went by this name, was in its original version a hood-like construction that covered most of the head. Later versions did without the hood to save material; they only covered the face and were fastened with straps at the back of the head, as is still common today. Towards the end of the war, the quality of the people's gas masks declined more and more, and the last version from 1944 was only made of thin, rubberized material. All versions had two separate viewing lenses, a round, screw-on filter and an exhalation valve. The mask was issued to the population from July 1937. It was intended for use for a maximum of 20 minutes, depending on the chemical agent (five minutes against phosgene), and was primarily intended to enable the wearer to escape from the endangered area. This is a German Volksgasmaske black rubber gas mask with aluminium filter canister. The mask is a pull-on full head style with moulded rubber straps, orange plastic eyepieces and a one-way rubber exhaust valve in front of the nose. On the outside of the rubber is an orange waffenampt paint stamp 28 waffenampt Wa A 104. The section inside the mask above the canister has a one-way rubber and steel inlet valve encircled by a thick band of compressed paper. The valve is crimped onto the mask by an external metal band. The removable aluminium screw-in canister is unpainted with the embossed figures 'RL1. 38/4' and '5 125' on its upper face as well as a swastika waffenampt 'Wa A10'. The mask is contained in its original metal container with a hinged lid and retains most of its original black painted finish. The lid of the container is embossed D.R.G.M. AUG ZSCHIEDRICH RL.41/82 together with other lettering. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 22846:85