---
title: 'The Enemy May Use Gas: Take Cover When the Siren Sounds'
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/ceylon-the-enemy-may-use-gas-take-cover-1939/
description: A text-only sheet in English, Sinhala and Tamil columns, each headed by the Department of Civil Defence 'ARP Ceylon' badge.
section: Collection
---

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3. The Enemy May Use Gas: Take Cover When the Siren Sounds

[![The Enemy May Use Gas: Take Cover When the Siren Sounds, 1939 Ceylon poster: A text-only sheet in English, Sinhala and Tamil](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/ceylon-the-enemy-may-use-gas-take-cover-1939.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/ceylon-the-enemy-may-use-gas-take-cover-1939.jpg)

# The Enemy May Use Gas: Take Cover When the Siren Sounds

A text-only sheet in English, Sinhala and Tamil columns, each headed by the Department of Civil Defence 'ARP Ceylon' badge, states that the enemy may use gas and tells readers to take cover when the siren sounds. The tell for fear-appeal is the threat of gas attack paired with the single protective action; it is an instruction sheet and shows no imagery.

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Fear appeal](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/fear-appeal/)

## Text on the object

Original (English, Sinhala, Tamil) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
DEPARTMENT OF [ARP CEYLON badge] CIVIL DEFENCE
THE ENEMY
MAY
USE
GAS
TAKE COVER WHEN THE
SIREN SOUNDS.
[imprint:] Maha-Bodhi Press

[Sinhala column:] සතුරා විෂවායු පාවිච්චි කරන්ට පුළුවන. අනතුරු හඟවන තලාහඹ ඇසෙන කල්හි ආරක්ෂක ස්ථානයට යන්න.
[Translation: The enemy may use poison gas. When the warning siren is heard, go to a place of safety.]

[Tamil column:] பொது ஜன பா(துகாப்புப் பகுதி)
சத்துரு விஷப்புகை உபயோகிக்கலாம்
ஊதுகுழல் சப்திக்கும் போது ஒதுங்கிக் கொள்க
[Translation: The enemy may use poison smoke. When the horn sounds, take shelter.]
```

[← Eat Wheat for Better Health](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/ceylon-eat-wheat-for-better-health-1939/) [Clean Rags - Dirty Rags - All Are Wanted! →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/clean-rags-dirty-rags-all-are-wanted-1939/)

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