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

[Grimebox]

The edible jungle fruits booklet. Nicely stamped and dated.

[PierreN]

got yesterday 3 silk maps. 1 double sided and two single sided.

flesberg :




North France / Netherlands single sided




Netherlands, France and part of Spain double sided





Never knew these things existed ( now yes :-) ) and on top totally for free 2024 starts well

[Grimebox]

The Flesburg map is a very rare map. Nice haul.

[PierreN]

The Flesburg map is a very rare map. Nice haul.

thank you. never knew these things existed even. When got these started to look for what it is etc etc and find it interesting. So therefore no knowledge if rare or not rare :-)

[Grimebox]

An unusual variant of the silk map covering Burma, Siam and Assam. I have the black and white version and the blue water variant, however, this one is blue on one side and black on the other!

[Grimebox]

Another very rare blue aerogramme paper map. It is sheets D (covering Southern France) and H (covering Spain). It is printed on Imperial Air Mail paper.
It is not clear how many were printed on aerogramme paper. They are unusual, not only because of the paper they were printed on, but also because the manufacturer of the paper can be seen.

[Grimebox]

An RAF / Air Ministry snakebite lancet. Made by George Carsburg Co., London. It has removable end caps that unscrew to reveal a small metal blade/lancet and a void that contained a potassium permangenate capsule. The blade could be used to cut out the venom from a snake bite and the potassium permangenate applied to the wound. These were issued as part of the contents of the tropical survival kit and also part of the kit included with the 'Beadon' flying suit (which I am yet to get my hands on!).

[Pikeman]

Good evening, after seeing all your collection I am wondering if you can help, I have some maps I inherited from my father, previously a Major in the Royal Engineers, one of which I cannot find any details of, including Dr Bonds dissertation, it is marked 9v in the early series, being a map of Stalag locations in Northern France. Can you assist?

[Grimebox]

Hello, 9V is a known map, however, I don’t believe that its true purpose has been established. One is shown on this thread - post #190 - unfortunately it’s not one that I own. I believe that one is shown in R E Baldwin’s book, Behind Enemy Lines: Evasion and Escape Aids of World War II.
It’s certainly a strange map. Clearly some maps were created for specific operations, however, this map is of the early war style so I would be surprised if it was issued post D Day. I’d see little point in it being used by the French Resistance due to covering the whole of France and their individual cells would know where the local camps were. I also don’t see why you’d issue it to aircrew, other than to advise would be escapers to stay away from that area. It certainly is an enigma (even more so now it appears that your father in the RE had one)

[Pikeman]

Thanks for your reply, a little more research shows that the locations are of FrontSlalags which held French prisoners of war and retainers.