Grimebox,unbelievable collection you have there,I've never seen the pencil dagger...very nice,Thanks for sharing..CHEERS!
I will have to try and get to Bletchley Park and see the exhibition. The capsule may well be Post WW2 if they do not have an example on display, although I believe that the British military stopped using pigeons sometime around 1948. I was interested to see that the recent media coverage surrounding the carrier pigeon found in somebodies chimney showed a red plastic capsule, a type that I had not seen before.
Below are some links showing carrier pigeons and a video showing how a pigeon can avoid a falcon (I don't know if it's the same one you saw)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiOHA...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSKrR...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hOAArvt7NQ
Not exactly the same video, but similar to the first one. There is not too much written about the actual Capsules used and not sure if all patterns are on display at Bletchley Park. I also have not seen the pattern found on the remains of the Pidgeon before, other than at BP.
A US Army Air Force cloth map. Produced in February 1945 it covers Japan and South China Seas (C-52) and East China Sea (C-53)
It certainly is an interesting form, as I stated on the WAF it is interesting to note that he states he did not use his aid box and then that he used it all up whilst hiding! (and all in a 24hr period). Also it appears that he lost his maps and file but still had his compass which suggests that he had compass kept seperately. The other interesting thing (In fairness it's all interesting!) is that he carried four passport photo's and states that he used them (again within a 24hr period). I think next on the shopping list will be a handfull of Francs and some passport photo's, I don't think one of these forms will be coming anytime soon!!
I have attached the same links that I put on your excellent thread on the WAF;
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/laurieb...9wewatkins.pdf
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/laurieb...20lwfstark.pdf
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/laurieb...29jbpurkis.pdf
A commercially produced compass whistle from the 1930's/40's. The seller stated that this belonged to a pilot and I have no reason to see why pilots of the period would not have carried one of these as a survival aid. Whistles were issued to Aircrew mainly so that they could alert rescuers if they ditched into the sea.
There are a couple of links below which detail some of these compass whistles along with an interesting one which has a standard escape compass set into it.
Whistle Museum: Compass Whistles Seven Types & Subgroups. A. Strauss (2) more samples.
Whistle Museum: Compass Whistles Seven Types, A. Strauss (3) A. De Courcy escape compass.
A US Army Signal Corps message book. It contains twenty-five sets of form in triplicate for normal use, three sets in duplicate for pigeon use and twenty-five sheets of tracing paper. These message books formed part of the pigeon troop equipment. The individual message sheet that is in one of my carrier pigeon leg capsules is dated 1942, however, the sheets in this book are dated 1943.
The message book can be seen in this well known image of paratroopers training in 1943.
Very interesting Whistles, although I have never previously associated them with Escape and Evasion and do not believe they were an "issue" item. In an E & E role it is very unlikely a Whistle would be required, also not so easy to conceal either. Definitely of use if an Aircraft ditched in the sea though. Regards, Clive.
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