Danish M38 Gas mask (Army version) - H.t.K. Arbejdsmaske M.1938

This sheet metal container is in some ways similar to the German from world war two... The small leather flap is to fasten the container to the belt or a button on the coat. The shoulder strap is made of light cotton webbing - in Danish called: Tømmegjord.
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Until the 1930's Denmark had no gas masks of their own. All gas masks were purchased in other countries. Especially the French gas masks (A.R.S.) were popular with the army. There were different trials where the army tried to decide what type of gas mask they should order and what kind of carrier they should use. The army decided to order a Danish copy of the French A.R.S. - M.1917 and a metal sheet container. All masks and containers were produced in Denmark after 1930 / 31.

In the late 1930's the Danish army wanted a new mask and decided on the M.1938. A dstinctly "German" design, as it is very similar to the German Heeresgasmaske 1924 or the GM30’s.
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A close-up on the leather flap and the carrying strap.

The lid on the container. All the stamps is an indicator that this mask served for a long time before it was made obsolete.

The mask is put inside the container with the filter first. On the left hand side you can see the spare part canister.
(Spare part canister contains: Extra filter, 2 - anti fogging disks, 2 - extra rubber rings and a cloth.)

Date stamp: Model 1938, made 1939.

Front look with filter attached. The cloth protects the rather thin layer of rubber.

All the straps, hooks and brass bits.

Inside view. The rubber is a bit fragile.
Eyes are made out of glass.
In the bottom you can see a chin strap.

Side view.

Glossary:

H.t.K = Hærens Tekniske Kommando. - Army Technical Command. The part of the army that purchased whatever the army needed. From spoons and socks to tanks and artillery.

H.A = Hærens Arsenal - Army Arsenal

A.R.S = Appareil Respiratoire Spécial

Tømmegjord = A kind of lightweight webbing. (Cotton)

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Danish M38 Gas mask (Civilian version) - H.t.K Civilgasmaske M.1938

The cardboard box that contains the gas mask and one filter.
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The M38 Civilian gas mask was developed one to two years after its army counterpart. They were distributed amongst the newly made air raid shelters (1940), volunteer fire-fighters, wardens, air raid personnel etc...

They were distributed by the army, and it was not possible for individuals to purchase their own mask.

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The card board container is painted in several coats of: Army standard green. It has reinforcing grooves on the side.
( In order to prevent it from collapsing if it were subjected to a pressure)

The filter is put inside of the mask when both are put inside of the container.
(The text on the filter says: H.t.K with the royal crown on the top.
Civ-gasm. = Civilgasmaske = Civilian gas mask)

Everything outside the box. The filter dated: 11. 1942 (November 1942)
135068 = Serial number.

The filter attached to the mask. Notice the little cap on top of the lid. It prevents dust and water from getting inside of the filter, when it is not in use.

It's a size four mask.

Stamps on the headband.
1941: Year of fabrication.
Civil-ansigtsmaske: Civilian face mask
M. 1938 = Model 1938

The front of the mask with the filter attached.
Notice that the eyes are made out of celluloid and not glass.
The filter is lighter and smaller than the army counterpart.

The civilian version is found in three different versions:

#1: Cotton cloth covered.

#2: Brown rubber without cloth cover.

#3: Black rubber.

All of them got celluloid eyepieces and smal filters.
(The filters protects against: Smoke particles, dust, and gases developed from burning paint etc. - Not intended to protect against gases like mustard gas or CO2.)

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Danish World War One Uniform (M/1915) | Dansk 1915 Uniform

Danish uniforms between 1889-1945. Here are shown the following patterns (from left to right):
1889(92), 1903, 1910, 1915 and 1923. Notice that helmets were first introduced in 1923 and that the 1903 pattern were of a "green-grey" wool - not karkee. The kepi remained the same seize and shape, only changing the colour before finally being redrawn from service with the introduction of the helmet. 

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Following the outbreak of war in august 1914 it became evident for the Danish army that the M/1910 uniform had its shortcomings. Especially the colour was ill chosen for the modern battlefield. However, change happened slowly as the Danish army had partially mobilised 50-55.000 men in the first months. They needed to be clad, fed, and armed - and any changes to uniforms and equipment had to take the back seat the first couple of months. 

Undoubtedly inspired by the German uniforms the Danish army decided in 1915 to introduce a light-grey uniform. It was decided that the uniform should retain the design from the earlier pattern (M/1910) and the colour codes used with the M/1910 and 1889 (1892).

Uniform model 1910:

Infantry units would wear: 

Light blue kepi with black leather and "silver" buttons. 

Dark blue jacket with "silver" buttons and red piping.

Light blue trousers - folded at the bottom and worn outside the boots. 

Artillery, medical and other "support" regiments:

Dark blue kepi with black leather and brass buttons. 

Dark blue jacket with brass buttons and either (depending on regiment) light blue, maroon, green, grey or yellow piping.

Dark blue trouser - unfolded and worn over the most of the boot. 

Uniform model 1915:

Infantry:

Grey kepi with black leather and "silver buttons.
Grey jacket with "silver" buttons and red piping.
Grey trousers - folded at the bottom and worn outside the boots.

Artillery, Medical Corps, logistics, engineers, Pay Corps, Technical Corps, etc.
Same cut and cloth as above but with brass buttons.
Depending on the unit / regiment the uniform had light blue, maroon, green, grey or yellow piping.
As a rule the trousers were worn unfolded.
 

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Following photos are of a M.1915 uniform from 1918 that belonged to a sergeant in the infantry. It took a while for the 1915 uniform to be issued to all units. Some units did not received it before the end of the war, and the engineers, technical corps, and the artillery did not receive them before the 1920s! 

The kepi belonged to a man in the 5th battalion.

The jacket is stamped: 1918 PRM. PRM = Prøvemæssig, i.e. that the uniform is made according to the official pattern.

It is fully lined - and must have been warm.

The small button hole on the shoulder strap is for a battalion number in "silver". Unfortunately it is missing from this uniform.

 

Swedish linjestång M/1918 (+ Inkopplingskrok M/1926 & Trådgaffel M.1918)

Linjestång M.1918 is heavy - but compact. The leather is heavy duty and all parts are made to last.

From time to time an item turns up that you have never seen before - but when you see it you need to own it. The above is such an item.

The field telephone revolutionised army communications in the early 20th century. Not in the same way as the telegraph had in the 19th century - but almost. It was faster but not necessarily more reliable. Phone cables were often cut by both friendly and enemy shells, tapped, and otherwise ruined or compromised. It was not uncommon during World War One that the phones only worked in the beginning of an attack. However, it was impossible to live without and cables were strung up all over the front line.

The above tool was used when making an 'air line' - i.e. when the cable was drawn between poles, trees, or buildings in the open air. In the British army during World War One the goal was to erect 1 mile per hour according to the Instruction in army telegraphy and telephone (The War Office 1914, p. 19) - and a air line detachment should be able to do no less than 5 miles of air line per day and "do an average day's march" (p. 19).


In the Swedish army the line men had an array of different tools at their disposal when erecting air lines. One of them was the above 'linjestång' - introduced in 1918. The idea was the line men could assemble the different sections into a long pole - and with the appropriate tool fixed at the end, either an 'inkopplingskrok' (hook) or a trådgaffel (cable fork), it was possible to guide and lift the cable into place. No need for a ladder!

Contents of the kit: 

The kit comes in a leather "quiver" (linjestångskoger) that holds four sections of pole, two cable forks, two hooks, and two pieces of cable.

The two cable forks are 1918 models but the two hooks are model M.1926.

Everything - even all flaps, straps and metal parts are stamped.

Bottom of the "quiver".

Cable fork M.1918

Cable fork M.1918 - one is in steel and the other is in aluminium.

Hooks

Old telephone cable.

Four sections of pole.