Lightweight Dog Respirator

Name: Dog Respirator

Model: Based on the Lightweight Respirator design

Filter Type: 60mm threaded Lightweight Respirator based filter

Application: Military Working Dogs

This particular variation of dog respirator owes its design to the series of Lightweight Respirators which began production in the later months of 1942 and were issued from early 1943 onwards. It is very easy to see which components the Lightweight Respirators have in common with the Dog Respirator. The exhale valve, eyepieces and the filter mount are identical on both masks. The filter is a modified version of the standard Lightweight type, it is slightly narrower and lighter, and also features a different base. It did however allegedly offer the same degree of protection as the filter upon which it was based.

The facepiece of the Dog Respirator is obviously very different, instead of being made from a single piece of molded rubber, it is made from a series of pieces of sheet rubber which are glued together. To isolate the air space inside the facepiece from the contaminated air outside, it features a peripheral seal. Behind the seal is another piece of sheet rubber which features two holes for the dogs ears, this piece also covers a section of the dogs neck. Connected to the facepiece are a series of straps which as well as securing the respirator to the dog also form an adjustable harness which secures round the dogs girth and chest. The harness also incorporates a metal ring allowing the dog handlers lead to be attached, this means that there was no requirement for a conventional collar or harness to be worn in conjunction with the respirator which could potentially interfere with its functionality/operation.

The only markings on this particular dog respirator are on the exhale valve, which is stamped "B. W.& M (Barringer, Wallis and Manners Ltd) L2 11/1942" and on the filter, which has been hand painted with "Ptn 1/45 No.151 Wt:8 1/2 Ozs." It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when these respirators went into actual service and how many were manufactured, however it was certainly not any earlier than the date found on the exhale assembly. It can be speculated that part of the painted markings on the filter might refer to a date, however this unfortunately cannot be confirmed. What is true about these respirators is that they are unquestionably rare, with only a handful residing in various museums, archives and private collections.

Below is some data about the Dog Respirator held in the GasMasksUK Collection, as well as a related article from The Gaurdian, and finally detailed photographs with captions detailing parts of the respirator itself.

Date - Facepiece: Nil Manufacturer/Markings - Facepiece: Nil

Filter: Nil Filter: Ptn 1/45 No.151 Wt: 8 1/2 o℥s.

Harness: Nil Harness: Nil

Eyepieces: 1942 Eyepieces: H.B.S. III

Exhale Assembly: 11/1942 Exhale Assembly: B.W.&.M. L2

"Gas masks put Britain's dogs of war off the scent:

Final proof, if it was needed, that the English care more about their dogs than perhaps anything else was provided yesterday by the release of confidential state papers showing that secret trials were carried out during the second world war to develop gas masks for the army's war dogs.

After six months scientists succeeded in developing a mask which was comfortable for the dogs to wear. However, the trials revealed one significant catch - the dogs could not smell anything while wearing the masks, rendering them useless for 90% of their tasks on the battlefield.

The War Office's chemical weapons research station at Porton Down, Wiltshire, strove from April to October 1944 to protect dogs against gas on the battlefield. The War Office said the masks were needed "in view of the increasing use of dogs for essential duties".

The dogs, mostly Alsatians, Retrievers and Collies, had been in use since early 1943 to patrol vulnerable points and on messenger duties with troops in the frontline. They worked in pairs, mostly at night, and relied almost entirely on their sense of smell.

A respirator was developed with a level of protection equal to that of "the human light respirator". It consisted of a rubberised canvas mask with a filter attached to the dog with a body harness. The War Dog Training School chose not to attach the mask to the dog's collar on the grounds that that was used for message carrying.

When the masks were tried on 120 army dogs, most fitted quite well, but War Office papers show that the dogs could not carry the masks on their backs because "of the difficulty of getting through obstacles (hedges, barbed wire, etc)" and so it was decided that the respirator should be carried by their handlers.

The school at Northaw, Hertfordshire, reported that although the masked dogs were "all quite comfortable" walking and sitting while on patrol, when asked to do anything else they were useless: "Completely confused when asked to work on a/c of the intake of air coming from under the chin, no direct scent can reach the nose, and it appears that if it did the container filter would be faulty. If the filter was removed the dog knew there was someone about, but could get no sense of direction," said the report, which has remained secret for more than 50 years. "Conclusion: Masks invaluable in gas attack when dogs remain out of work, walking or sitting. No value at all for working in."

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/apr/20/humanities.highereducation

The Dog Respirator as worn. Source of image unknown.

Ever since the recognition that personal protection against chemical weapons was a fundamental part of the equipment carried by armed forces service personnel, the animals that serve alongside man have too been provided with measures to allow them to survive in environments in which they otherwise would not. From the first use of gas during The First World War, and the subsequent rush to equip soldiers with rudimentary respirators as a stopgap, development into more advanced means of protection shortly followed.

These developments didn't stop at providing respirators for humans, but also included respirators and protective equipment for the animals also engaged on the front line. This included horses, donkeys, mules, dogs, pigeons and canaries to name a few. Dogs were mainly responsible for the transport of messages, locating and delivering aid to casualties on the battlefield, and as part of patrols using their keen sense of hearing and smell to pick up on things us humans otherwise would not. Providing them with respirators allowed them to carry out their tasks during gas attacks, or to simply survive in order to allow them to continue with their tasks once the gas had cleared.

Following the success of dogs during The First World War, their use for military applications continued. The outbreak of another world war was feared, as was the use of gas, the memories of which still echoed in the minds of many. Respirators for dogs were constantly being improved and upgraded alongside those used by humans. Unfortunately, the worst did happen and The Second World War began. Many respirators for animals were issued, and development continued throughout the war.

The Dog Respirator as worn, displaying the harness.

Source of image unknown.

The dog respirator, as it exists today.

Side profile, showing the design of the harness and the elastic suspension straps, one of which is on either side of the facepiece.

The exhale valve, probably the most recognisable part this respirator shares with its human counterpart. Marked: "B. W. & M. L2 11/42"

The eyepieces, another component this respirator shares with the Lightweight Respirator and other British respirators of the era. Marked: "H.B.S III 1942"

Top view of the facepiece.

Top of the filter. Markings: "Ptn 1/45 No.151. Wt: 8 1/2 o℥s."

Bottom view of the facepiece, showing the filter port and inhale valve which too is identical to that fitted to the Lightweight Respirator.

Base of the filter.

The internal peripheral face seal.