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. 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. Along with the gasmask and assorted accessories was a gas warning flag set that consisted of twenty small flags on metal poles, seventy-five feet of yellow marking tape and a carrying pouch. The gas warning flag set was issued on a limited basis and was also utilized to mark minefields. The German armed forces also utilized other assorted flags and signs to mark gas contaminated areas and minefields.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: This example consists of four of the original twenty warning flag poles and flags from the minefield/gas warning flag set. The matte red painted, sheet metal wire flag poles are each roughly, 50cm tall, with a roughly, 10cm long, horizontally bent over top section to accommodate the warning flags and a pointed bottom tip for ease of inserting them into the ground. Each flag pole has two, small, brazed on, vertical metal loops near the top edge enabling additional poles to be inserted to increase the height as required. Each of the flag poles come with a roughly, 12cm tall, woven yellow cotton/rayon, inverted triangular flag with dual-ply hemmed edges and a black printed skull superimposed over crossbones. The flags are stitched around the horizontally bent over top section of each pole with an additional, small, crimped metal retaining tab. (Set comes with one spare flag). The set is in overall good condition with the flag poles retaining between 60% and 80% of their original matte red paint and the flags show light to moderate age and usage toning.