Gas rattle : British Army

Rectangular hardwood box structure fitted with a rotating hexagonally shaped handle. A single nail has been hammered through the handle. This handle is secured to the opposite end via a metal axle. An eight sided wooden cog ratchet is attached to this metal axle. This ratchet would normally touch upon a wooden tongue which no longer exists. The partial remains of the plywood tongue are secured internally by three screw bolts and two metal washers. A hardwood bar located immediately behind the end of the tongue is fitted to prevent excessive movement of the tongue. An eliptically shaped line follows this bar along the inside of both internal sides. The hardwood bar is secured to the box structure by a pair of dowel which have been hammered through the structure. Between the pair of dowel ends underneath the rattle has been stamped the manufacturers details. These being 'A.W.GAMAGE LD' and immediately beneath this is 'HOLBORN'.

During the First World War poisonous gases such as chlorine, phosgene and mustard gas were released silently from cylinders, or quietly discharged from exploding gas artillery shells. The loud and distinctively sharp clacking noise made by gas rattles stood out amongst the other sounds heard in the trenches and nearby soldiers would rush to put on their protective gas equipment, such as respirators and hoods.

After the First World War tens of thousands of these rattles (and civilian made copies) entered the civilian market with many of them being associated with English football (soccer) matches until the 1970's. Similar rattles to this were also used in Australia during the Second World War by civil defence organisations in the event of the use of gas by the Imperial Japanese on the civilian population.

This example is from the First World War and was made in Holborn an area in central London by the A.W.Gamages department store. This company began trading in 1878 and it quickly became established as a London institution for an immensely diverse range and very competitively priced goods. The store finally closed in 1972, one unusual aspect of the store was its location away from the established and popular main Oxford Street shopping precinct.