British Small Box Respirator with Haversack

The American Expeditionary Forces used a variety of gas masks and respirators during World War I, including the British Small Box Respirator (SBR). It was a two-piece design, with the metal filter canister connected to the protective face mask by a flexible rubber hose, all of which fit into a satchel. Soldiers carrying their mask in the “ready position” would hang the satchel around their neck so that the bag rested high on their chest for easy access. A length of cord attached to the back of the bag would keep it from swinging. U.S. soldiers equipped with the British SBR often substituted the British filter canister with the yellow or green U.S. filters as can be seen in this example.