Official Instructions Issued by the Ministry of Home Security - Gas Attack
A sheet of illustrated steps shows civilians fitting a gas mask, responding to the gas rattle at night and in the street, and treating liquid or blister gas splashes. It is mostly plain instruction; the only fear-appeal tell is the implied threat of a gas attack, with no victims shown.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1939
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ministry of Home Security, printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Fosh & Cross Ltd, London
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Churchill Government
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Home front, Security and surveillance, Health
- Event
- World War II
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (UK Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired before 1996; no URAA restoration)
Ministry of Home Security, printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Fosh & Cross Ltd, London. National Archives and Records Administration, WWII Foreign Posters (NAID 44266530, 44-PF-187).
Text on the object
OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF HOME SECURITY GAS ATTACK HOW TO PUT ON YOUR GAS MASK Always keep your gas mask with you - day and night. Learn to put it on quickly. Practise wearing it. 1. Hold your breath. 2. Hold mask in front of face, with thumbs inside straps. 3. Thrust chin well forward into mask, pull straps over head as far as they will go. 4. Run finger round face-piece taking care head-straps are not twisted. IF THE GAS RATTLES SOUND 1. Hold your breath. Put on mask wherever you are. Close window. 2. If out of doors, take off hat, put on your mask. Turn up collar. 3. Put on gloves or keep hands in pockets. Take cover in nearest building. IF YOU GET GASSED BY VAPOUR GAS Keep your gas mask on even if you feel discomfort If discomfort continues go to First Aid Post BY LIQUID or BLISTER GAS 1 Dab, but don't rub the splash with handkerchief. Then destroy handkerchief. 2 Rub No. 2 Ointment well into place. (Buy a 6d. jar now from any chemist). In emergency chemists supply Bleach Cream free. 3 If you can't get Ointment or Cream within 5 minutes wash place with soap and warm water. 4 Take off at once any garment splashed with gas. PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY FOSH & CROSS LTD., LONDON (51/504)
