Instructions for P gas hood : Private J A K Pratt, 2/Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment), British Army

A single sheet paper instructions for the use of the hood. It is titled 'FOR ISSUE TO ALL RANKS / INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE USE OF RESPIRATOR AND SMOKE HELMETS'.

During the First World War the British response to German gas attacks evolved to deal with the increasing range of chemical agents the Germans were introducing.

One response was the 'P' hood or 'Tube helmet' which was already in development as its predecessor, the 'Hypo' helmet was being introduced to frontline troops in June 1915. A major requirement over the 'Hypo' was for the new hood to have better visibility and gas-proof windows or eyepieces for the wearer. The result was simple, glass goggles in flanged metal frames replacing transparent plastic sheet. These new hoods were introduced into service on a trial basis to the Western Front in July 1915. For these hoods a new impregnating mixture containing sodium phenate was introduced which proved difficult to prepare. Also the dipping of the hoods in the solution and the resultant drying process produced unexpected difficulties and it was decided that the hood had to be altered to take a mouthpiece. This hood is a very early example, before the P hoods were fitted with a metal and rubber mouth piece for the wearer. This feature marginally improved what was a practically claustrophobic experience for the wearer.

The gas hood and this instruction sheet was collected by Private James Arthur Kirby Pratt of the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) British Army in 1915.

Pratt was born in Derby, England on 20 December 1896 and he was working as a shop assistant when he enlisted in the British Army on 12 August 1914, aged 18. He was allocated the regimental number of 3886. Pratt saw service with on the Western Front and survived the war. At some stage after the war he immigrated to Australia.

He enlisted into the Australian Army Militia in Queensland early in the Second World War with the service number Q67091. He transferred to the Australian Imperial Force on 18 March 1941 in Brisbane and was allocated the new service number, QX38812. Pratt was discharged from the Second AIF with the rank of warrant officer class 1 on Christmas Day 1942.