| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | RELAWM34490 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Personal Equipment |
| Physical description | Cotton drill; Brass; Silk; Glass; Metal |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | c 1941-1945 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Escape belt with concealed MI9 Escape & Evasion map and compass
Description
Hand made khaki belt with brass buckle and fabric belt loop. Stitched into a pocket next to the buckle is a small escape compass. The tongue of the belt contains a folded silk escape map, possibly of the Middle East.
History / Summary
The history of this escape belt is unknown, as it was donated by the Air Historical Branch in the United Kingdom. The belt is a tropical service pattern. These belts were either supplied by M19 with the maps (and frequently hacksaw blades and miniature compasses) already in them, or instruction were given to squadrons on how to secrete them in an existing belt. The instruction included the line "tear off the hem of the map, tear it in half, and with a flat lath, push each half into the belt so that they lie flat. Slip compass into the buckle end and seal with a few stitches". The map appears to show a section North Africa and possibly the Mediterranean along the 38th parallel judging from the small portion of map that has been revealed.