Improvised sign, 'PUT YOUR BOX RESPIRATOR IN THE ALERT POSITION' : Somme, France

Improvised sign constructed of natural tin with hand painted black letters 'PUT YOUR BOX RESPIRATOR IN THE ALERT POSITION' The sign has two holes in it showing where nails had previously secured it to a post.

This sign was found on the Somme battlefield and indicated a high likelihood of gas attack in the area. The Small Box Respirator (SBR) was introduced into service with British and Imperial Forces on the Western Front in 1916. It was produced following a concerted effort by authorities in the United Kingdom to provide its soldiers with an effective gas mask to replace the inefficient P and PH Helmets. The SBR proved to be the most effective gas mask produced during the First World War.