The threat of gas attack on the civilian population was one of the biggest fears of World War II (1939-1945).
By 1940 over thirty eight million gas masks had been issued to British people including adults, children and babies. This brightly coloured gas mask, known as a 'Mickey Mouse' gas mask was designed and made for children.
People had to carry their gas masks with them wherever they went and when the air raid siren sounded they had to take shelter wherever they could. Gas mask practice became a new part of the school day and children had to sit in classes with their gas masks on to get used to safely using them.
