WW2 Gasmask bag........dunno what MK it is though!!

Hi Guys.

Amazing what turns up when your having a tidy up,this one turned up in my wife's wardrobe of all places,anyhoo here it is

I dunno what Mk it is though,I think I knew once ,but as I forgot I had it,I also forgot when it was issued

Markings in the inside of bag

More markings....

Im pretty sure its a MK6 will have to check mine although Id almost put money on it

2ndAIF wrote:Im pretty sure its a MK6 will have to check mine although Id almost put money on it

Cool ,cheers Mate.

Post yours up for comparision, it would be cool to see yours too

Hi Gary, I finally dug mine out today, It is a MK 6 bag you have, I have both the MK 6 & 7 and both are dated 1942. Once I find all the accessories and what not that go with them I will post some pics up for you to have a look at.

Luke

2ndAIF wrote:Hi Gary, I finally dug mine out today, It is a MK 6 bag you have, I have both the MK 6 & 7 and both are dated 1942. Once I find all the accessories and what not that go with them I will post some pics up for you to have a look at.

Luke

Cool cheers Luke,great info thanks for that

I look forward to seeing your kit mate

I will try to have a look tommorow for you mate One thing I just noticed is yours has 3 mesh breathers on the bottom where as my Australian made version only has 2...

2ndAIF wrote:I will try to have a look tommorow for you mate One thing I just noticed is yours has 3 mesh breathers on the bottom where as my Australian made version only has 2...

Cool nice one luke,I did'nt know there would be a differnce between Oz and Brit bags,so that's great as I've learn't something new again..great stuff Mate, I'll keep an eye open for your OZ bag

G'day Gary, I finally got around to finding my gas masks, bags and acc ect... Both are Aussie made examples but are identical in every way to the British ones, after doing a bit looking around I think your bag is a early example having the 3 vents on the bottom. Anyway heres the couple I have...

The first one is the MK6 the bag was made by GHM (General Motors Holden) in 1942 Its a bit salty, the mask was made Oct 1941 by O.T.R.O (no idea who that maker is) and the canister is made by Willow 1942





Second bag is the MK7 economy version (both bag and mask are unissued) this one is made by M.H&co 1942, the mask is made by Kenworth Jan 1942 and the canister by Richard Hughes Sydney 1942

Also here are some of the accesories that go with the masks.
First up is a full tin of Anti gas ointment dated sept 1939




Canister of Anti dimming cream and cloth for the eye pieces its dated June 1942





Antother earlier version which is just a pre impregnated cloth, the tin is dated 6/1941 and the cloth 2/1942 the cool ting about this one is the instructions are printed on the cloth itself and after 70 years is still damp and useable!



Anti gas eyeshieldsdated july 1942, If you look at pics of Rommel over in North Africa you will see he always had a pair of these on his cap so they must have been better than the German equivilent...




And lastly a Anti gas cape from Jan 1944, I believe these were issued with the later war lightweight masks and bags and not the ones pictured above

G'day Luke, wow mate, thanks for showing all this amazing kit,where'd you get it all , look's in fantastic nick.

Cheers Gary, Ive been collecting ww2 kit for almost 18 years now, And you know how it is Ive just picked them up over the years The MK6 bag and mask I got at a garage sale for $10 a few years back and the unissued MK7 and mask came from a museum. All the other bits a pieces Ive just found in secondhand stores or ebay.
I have just got myself a nice 1941 dated Pommy MK6 bag like yours, It also only has 2 mesh vents on the bottom which makes me think yours maybe made some time between 1938 and 1940, I will get some comparison pics between it and the Aussie MK6 bag and post them up, although the only difference I can see between the two is the whip cord and the brass hooks on the shoulder strap.

Lucas.

Hey Gary, heres the Pommy MK6 bag I got today its dated 1941 made by Romac, on closer inspection the only difference between it and my Aussie one is the shoulder strap, the British one is made of a softer cotton web and the fittings are completely different also, but the bag itself is identical and It also has 2 breather vents.
Now I just need to find a nice early war canvas faced mask to go in it...





comparison of the straps, British strap top and Australian bottom, Ive also just noticed the Aussie one has MK6 1942 feintly stamped on it too.

Close up of the hooks, Aussie made left and British on the right.

G'day Luke,again very cool mate,very cool indeed,great comparision shots too,this will defo help to ID future purchases,nice one Mate