Escape and Evasion / Survival aids - Silk maps and Escape Compasses + more!

[Grimebox]

I have finally managed to purchase an infamous RAF 'ditching' whistle for a reasonable price (less than £20! I have never understood why, given the quantity available, they command such a high price).
They were often attached to the collar of the battledress blouse. I have attached some wartime pictures showing the whistles being worn, interestingly they appear to have been attached to both sides of the collar. The right side of the collar has the 'hook' and the left the 'eye' or 'loop'. I would have thought that attaching the whistle to the 'hook' meant that you ran the risk of loosing it when bailing out.

[Jerry B]

It must have been difficult to remove it from the eye side though if floating in the water or even in a dingy.

[Grimebox]

It must have been difficult to remove it from the eye side though if floating in the water or even in a dingy.

Good point!

[Grimebox]

AAF Cloth Map - Asiatic Series
No 34 South East China and No 35 North East China dated 1944

[Grimebox]

Another carrier pigeon leg capsule / container. This is the much rarer type and of the same construction as the one found in a chimney a couple of years ago - Wanted for one last mission: call for Bletchley Park codebreakers to crack the D-Day pigeon cipher - Telegraph
(The black one is mine!)

[Scout]

Great thread.
Super items. Interesting maps.
I quite like the 'escape boots' as well.
Great bit of Fairbairn litterature.
What is the make of the knife partly seen in the OP next to the two FS daggers, pls?
This thread reminded me of a US kit belonging to a very good collector buddy of mine:
The hyper rare Pacific Theater of Operations Escape and Evasion Kits commonly known as 'Barter Kits.'
These are of course a horse of a very different colour, but still part of being marooned and alone and having to evade the enemy in order to get to ones own lines.

[Grimebox]

Great thread.
Super items. Interesting maps.
I quite like the 'escape boots' as well.
Great bit of Fairbairn litterature.
What is the make of the knife partly seen in the OP next to the two FS daggers, pls?
This thread reminded me of a US kit belonging to a very good collector buddy of mine:
The hyper rare Pacific Theater of Operations Escape and Evasion Kits commonly known as 'Barter Kits.'
These are of course a horse of a very different colour, but still part of being marooned and alone and having to evade the enemy in order to get to ones own lines.

The knife is not marker marked. It is of a type that was a common private purchase fighting knife that was available in Britain during the war (A lot were produced by William Rodgers)
You are correct in saying that the Pacific Theater of Operations Escape and Evasion Kits are hyper rare - mainly because they contained gold and other valuables!!!

[Grimebox]

Another carrier pigeon capsule / container. I have not been able to find another example like it so I am unsure if it is wartime, it came with the black plastic one above.
I have shown it alongside a British example which is of a type that was used in WW1 and WW2

[Scout]

The knife is not marker marked. It is of a type that was a common private purchase fighting knife that was available in Britain during the war (A lot were produced by William Rodgers)

Thanks for info.
Yeah, W. Rodgers turned out a lot of blades.
My own FS is a Rodgers made knife

You are correct in saying that the Pacific Theater of Operations Escape and Evasion Kits are hyper rare - mainly because they contained gold and other valuables!!!

Yep - and a very nice (to me) Milus Snow star Watch ;-)

[Chopperman]

My wife has a button off a US Army air corp coat that
is hollow and has a removable back. These were
supposedly used to hide maps. Unfortunately she
has it packed away and I can't get any pictures of it.