§ 33. Mr. De Chairasked the Secretary of State for War whether experience has shown that officers and non-commissioned officers have difficulty in issuing words of command, when wearing a gas mask, which would be distinctly audible at a reasonable distance under war conditions?
§ The Secretary of State for War (Mr. Hore-Belisha)The wearing of gas masks is not the only condition in war which makes verbal commands inaudible at relatively short distances. In cases where commands cannot be conveyed by word of mouth they are conveyed by signal.
§ Mr. De ChairWill the right hon. Gentleman discuss this question with the Home Secretary, because under air-raid precautions conditions it may not be possible to instruct a large public on these signals? Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman would answer a few questions in this House in a gas mask? He would then see what I mean.