German 'Lederschutzmaske' gas mask container

Protective container case for the German 'Lederschutzmaske' gas mask. It is made from stamped metal and is painted in grey-green paint which is scratched and dented in many places. A hinged lid is attached to the top of the carry case, secured by a single securing latch. On the bottom of the carry case is a faded circular logo stamped in black ink. The inside of the carry case is painted gloss black.

On the inside of the lid is a circular hinged metal flap for storing spare lenses for the gas mask. This storage area contains a pair of spare yellowed and cracked circular lenses each individually backed with a coarse circular piece of fitted cardboard. On each lens is printed in small text to one side in German 'Becef.A.4148'. These lenses are both wrapped in small square brown waxed paper envelope and printed in black ink on the outside of the envelope in German are instructions for the lenses. These instructions read 'Klarshiben vor Feuchtigkeit schutzen, nicht wischen, nur am Rand anfassen, so einlegen : (pair of horizontal lines)'.

This type of canister was worn with the German Ledershutzmaske. An interesting historical note is that the popular Osram brand light bulb company were contracted to make these by the Imperial German Government and that diameter and screw type for this canister were identical to their light bulbs, thereby making construction easier and faster.

The gas mask carry case was known as a Lederschutzmaske (Bereitschaftsbuchen). This case contained a small compartment in the lid for spare set of lenses and usually contained an instruction sheet at the bottom explaining how to use the gas mask.

Due to the effective Royal Navy blockade of German ports, apart from the metal, ersatz (substitute) materials were also used in the production of gas mask cans.

Collected by 7159 Private Horace Alchin, who enlisted from Crookwell, NSW on 7 August 1917, aged 21. He served with 17th Battalion AIF in 1918 and joined the Australian Graves Detachment when it was raised in early 1919. It is thought that he collected this item while serving with the latter unit.