BACKGROUND: With the development of poisonous gasses used as offensive weapons in WWI appropriate defensive gasmasks also had to be developed. The German WWI M1915 and M1917 gasmasks evolved into the Reichswehr era M24 gasmask and eventually into the M30 and M38 gasmasks used in WWII. All German Army personnel were issued with a gasmask, carrying canister and accessories and were required to have it readily available at all times. Both the WWII M30 and the M38 gasmasks canisters came equipped with a shoulder carrying strap and a small, belt support strap. Originally the gasmask canister shoulder straps came equipped with small leather reinforcement tabs to prevent chafe wear where the straps attached to the canister. Luftwaffe regulations of June 17^TH 1942 discontinued the gasmask canister shoulder strap leather reinforcement tabs and it is believed that the army followed suit. Although the use of chemical warfare agents was considered by the German OKW, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), fear of the Allies retribution forced them to reconsider and shelf the idea. Fear of the potential use of chemical warfare agents made the gasmask and canister a constant companion of the German soldier through-out the war.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 3" long, 1" wide, green leather construction gasmask canister shoulder strap reinforcement tab with two small vertical slashes near each end designed to slip over the shoulder strap. The reverse of the tab is in the age and usage darkened natural tan of the leather. The tab is in overall fairly good condition with a few small surface tears by the cut-out slashes. The tab has no visible manufacturer’s markings.

GRADE ***                             PRICE $42.00