Respirator/Gas Mask: When did they become General Issue items?

[John-B-Rooks]

I have had a search through some old threads but have been unable to find a point at which respirators where first made general issue items. My reason for asking is a line in a letter home from the Dardanelles dated 29/10/15 and relating to an event a couple of months earlier during the same campaign.

The gully was piled with dead they had been there about 3 days under a burning sun we put our respirators on to keep the stench away but it made us all sick, that all happened on the 21^st Aug a day that will live in my memory

I realize this isn't the 'Small Box Respirator' but a P or PH type hood (or a French one?) but it seems very early for a general issue of these items to have been made, especially away from the front where gas was being used. Looking forward to being educated.

Cheer ho

John.

[tipperary]

Hi John below is a link to a page from the LLT and instructions issued re respirators dated June 15.john

http://www.1914-1918.net/PIX/instructions_gas_helmet.JPG

[John-B-Rooks]

Thanks John. So only about 2 months before deployment to Dardanelles campaign, judging from the date of the instruction sheet, which means that the War Department were really on the ball getting sufficient quantities of the hood and/or respirator out to the front line. Thanks for your help.

Cheer ho

John.