BACKGROUND: With the development of poisonous gasses used as offensive weapons in WWI appropriate defensive gasmasks also had to be developed. The German WWI M1915 and M1917 gasmasks evolved into the Reichswehr era M24 gasmask and eventually into the M30 and M38 gasmasks used in WWII. All German army personnel were issued with a gasmask, carrying canister and accessories and were required to have it readily available at all times. Although the use of chemical warfare agents was considered by the German OKW, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), fear of the Allies retribution forced them to reconsider and shelf the idea. Along with the gasmask and assorted accessories was a gas warning flag set that consisted of twenty small flags on metal poles, seventy-five feet of yellow marking tape and a carrying pouch. The gas warning flag set was issued on a limited basis and was also utilized to mark minefields. The German armed forces also utilized other assorted flags and signs to mark gas contaminated areas and minefields.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The gas warning flag set consists of a woven, field-grey canvas/rayon blend, construction, holster shaped, carrying pouch and nine, red painted, tooled, steel flag poles with golden yellow cotton flags with black printed skulls and crossbones to each. The carrying pouch is roughly, 58cm tall with a 16cm wide, top section tapering down to a 8.5cm wide, bottom section. The pouch has a fold over, top flap with a stitch on, vertical, closure strap to the obverse with a corresponding, dark blue/grey painted, opened rectangular, sheet metal buckle positioned on the obverse body of the pouch. The front upper section of the pouch has the addition of a "U" shaped pocket designed to contain the seventy-five feet of marking tape. The marking tape is absent. The reverse, top section of the pouch has an integral, machine stitched on, khaki/tan, canvas web, carrying strap with a dark blue/grey painted, opened rectangular, sheet metal joining clip and a dark blue/grey painted, sliding, opened rectangular, sheet metal length adjustment buckle. The bottom edge of the pouch has an internal stiffening and reinforcement panel so the pointed tips of the flag poles would not puncture the pouch. The pouch is in overall good condition with light age and usage toning. The flags feature dual-ply, machine stitched outer edges and a tunnel loop to the top edge designed to slip over the flag poles.