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Edward Harrison鈥檚 invention, the small box respirator gas mask, is credited with saving thousands of lives.

Harrison had lied about his age to join up. He tried to enlist aged 47 but the maximum age was 45.

Having served in France his qualifications as a chemist meant he returned to Britain to help work on poison gas defence.

Harrison鈥檚 success came at a cost. He is thought to have worked himself to death. He died of pneumonia, aged 49. Harrison and his colleagues are believed to have suffered as a consequence of self-testing their gasmasks.

After Harrison鈥檚 death; Winston Churchill (as minister of munitions) wrote to his widow expressing his admiration and condolences.

Harrison鈥檚 life and work is commemorated by a memorial at the Royal Society of Chemistry in Burlington House.

The memorial reads: To Save Our Armies From Poison Gas He Gave the Last Full Measure of Devotion.

Location: Royal Society of Chemistry, Burlington House, London W1J 0BA
Image shows a newspaper cutting about Edward Harrison, medal and letter from Winston Churchill, courtesy of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Imperial War Museums
Presented by David Friend with archive interview courtesy of Imperial War Museums

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