The Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection
1659.2022.1
Arctic Warfare Face Mask
11/05/2022
Hermione Cooper
11/05/2022
A cotton face mask with eyeholes and ear loops.
Cotton,elastic
42(L) x 26(W) cms
1
“FACE MASK (ECW) MKZ. FLAME RESISTANT”
G415-99-978-2182. CT34A/998. NAME. “
Cream
Founder member of the collection, Mick Tighe, was a Mountain and Arctic Warfare Instructor in the Royal Marines many moons ago and actually used one of these masks’ in anger’ on several occasions, one of which is depicted opposite.
Their use was usually dictated by a very cold temperature combined with a high wind speed, giving what we call windchill - in extreme circumstances exposed flesh can freeze within minutes. The windchill chart opposite may help explain.
The downside of these masks was the condensation inside which subsequently froze though this was marginally better than getting frostbite!
Vast numbers of troops have died of frostbite and exposure ( the two invariably go together) over the centuries.
As recently as 2022, Russian soldiers were reported to have suffered during the invasion of Ukraine because of inadequate clothing.
Recent studies of the Inuit people of Greenland and Canada have revealed a better blood supply to the facial area than non Arctic folk.
We bought this particular mask on the internet for a couple of pounds in 2022 and suspect it dates from the 1970’s.
Bought on Internet
11/05/2022
11/05/2022
Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007
11/05/2022