French ARS gas respirator container

Circular shaped stamped sheet metal container for a French ARS type gas respirator with folding stamped sheet metal lid. The lid is attached to the container by a rectangular shaped hinge. Painted in overall khaki brown colour. On the inside of the flip top lid is an octagonal shaped paper instruction sheet detailing in French how to wear the gas respirator. On the inside of the container is a circular shaped cardboard insert fitted to the bottom. A blue tag is attached to this brown cardboard insert presumably for removing the insert. A brown-yellow coloured cotton shoulder strap is attached to the container by a pair of D shaped brackets which have been rivetted to the side of the container.

Container for the Appareil Respiratoire Special (ARS). The ARS was based upon the successful German gas respirator. The ARS gas mask was used by the French and their Colonial forces during the later stages of the First World War.