This mint condition Miller hooded ARP lamp sold on eBay for £95 (plus £4 shipping). It is marked G VI 6 / H.M & Co. Ltd and dated for 1942. A nice pristine example but at a hefty price. The box came with a label denoting "M. of W. B." - I assume Ministry of Works issue.
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I was recently contacted through this site regarding the danger of asbestos fibres in second world war gas masks (respirators). Civilian respirators were manufactured using chrysotile in the filters while respirators for the armed forces contain crocidolite. I've been aware of this danger for some time but it's worth reiterating the fact: never wear a gasmask, never open the filter and be aware that the carriers may also have asbestos fibres in them.
It's also worth reading this article entitled "WWII Gas Mask with Asbestos Filter in Schools". As soon as the British government began issuing gas masks (respirators) to the general public in the late 1930s, enterprising firms began offering a myriad of carriers. Gas masks were issued in a carboard box and these quickly took a battering when carried around. <amy people therefore bought a carrier.
All types of material were used for the carriers, from simple fabric sacks, to handbags (with special compartments to hold the gas mask), through to metal tins and the leather example shown below. The leatherwork on this example is excellent quality and was no doubt quite an expensive investment. But, given the 80+ years since it was made it's still in remarkable condition. A question was recently posed online about the origin and use of a type of lantern that is often sold as being ARP related. The lamps are actually called “Siege Lamps” and a boxed pair of lamps were issued to artillery gun crews so they could sight their gun at night. The lamps would be placed on posts and the angle of the gun barrel to the lamp determined. Then when a bearing was required the gun layer could use a lamp's position as a known bearing.
The lamps continued to be manufactured during the second world war by T.E Bladon and have the W/I\D mark and examples are dated 1942. The lamps have been incorrectly described as for use in Anderson Shelters or also for showing the entrance to Public ARP Shelters. However, they have absolutely nothing to do with ARP or Civil Defence. Image and information Australian War Memorial. This rare ARP Emergency Water Tank cropped up on eBay in August 2022. Not too many of these have survived the 80+ years since the war.
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