Those Respirators

Respirators at the Imperial War Museum

Thursday 3rd June 1915: Lieutenant-Colonel H. F. Barclay, commanding the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, writing to Mr. Machin, honorary secretary of the Bedford Recreation Committee said he had submitted the Pattern Respirators, sent to him by an officer who had just returned from the front and he said they were excellent. Colonel Barclay added: “We are most grateful to you Committee for their kind offer of 1,000 and if it is not too late we shall most gratefully accept them”(1).

Major Onslow, commanding the 2nd Bedfords at the front, has sent the following to the Officer Commanding Bedfordshire Regiment Depot: - “1,000 Respirators received. Would you kindly forward my best wishes and many thanks to Mr. W. Machin and his Committee for this gift. They are greatly appreciated by the Officers, N.C.O’s and men of this Battalion”.

There have been rumours that the respirators given to the Highland Division were unsuitable, but this is not true. The Committee have heard from many men of their use in the trenches with good results.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 4th June 1915

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(1) 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment would land in France on 31st July 1915.