Image Bank
Hartlepool
School children with gas masks
During the Second World War people were worried about enemy gas attacks. Everyone had to have a gas mask, which was carried in a box and had to be taken everywhere. The masks smelt of rubber and were very unpleasant to wear. Babies had a special mask that covered their whole body. Some children’s masks had Mickey Mouse ears to make them less frightening!
School children had regular drills in case of air raids and gas attacks. Most schoolyards had brick air raid shelters and every few weeks the Fire Brigade would fill these with black smoke. The children had to stumble around in the dark wearing their gas masks (and getting plenty of cuts and bruises). Then their faces would be examined. Anyone with black smudges on their face had a faulty gas mask.
You will have to look carefully to see the gas masks the children have ready for use!
Activity: Connections
Look at the picture and read, listen to, or print the story.
Now think about how any of the pictures might connect, save the Connections Write Sheet and use your imagination to explain how you think they could connect.