Children Who Went for a Walk Wearing Gas Masks

At the height of the Blitz, toddlers at Broomgrove Children’s Home in Wavertree, Liverpool, learned to toddle around in their gas respirators as a matter of course. Here, a line of 18‑month‑olds, swaddled in hand‑knit jumpers and gripping each other’s hands, bravely face the threat of chemical warfare—even playtime came with an air‑raid alert.

Why It Matters Civilian Resilience: Even Britain’s littlest citizens adapted to wartime precautions, illustrating the collective “keep calm and carry on” spirit.

Home Front Realities: Gas mask drills were common in schools and nurseries, reflecting the very real fear of poison gas attacks.

Liverpool’s War Effort: As a major port city, Liverpool endured heavy bombing—yet communities continued daily life under extraordinary circumstances.

📸 Unearth Your Wartime Treasures on OldPik.com! Do you own heirloom photos, letters, or memorabilia from WWII Britain? Upload and share your slices of history—preserve the past for future generations!

SEO Tags WWII children gas masks, Liverpool wartime nursery, Blitz home front, 1940 gas mask drill, Broomgrove Children’s Home, vintage Britain photos, OldPik historical archive, wartime resilience, toddler air‑raid precaution