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  #31  
Old 23-04-17, 07:09 PM
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And more

The two at the end are on a RN/RM money belt which is why I haven't shown the backs.
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  #32  
Old 24-04-17, 10:02 AM
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Thanks Irv for showing an array of RM badges. I'll pull the badge out on the weekend and take a good look, but the detail on the tail does not look like a good sign.

Thanks

Paul
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  #33  
Old 24-04-17, 10:22 PM
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See how awful they can get!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Ar...MAAOSwAANY7-GJ
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  #34  
Old 24-04-17, 10:38 PM
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Or how nice
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW1-The-Ro...8AAOSw6btXSaSY
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  #35  
Old 25-04-17, 08:27 AM
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Thanks for the links Irv.

So to my eye the round compass is simply placed in the back of of standard issue RM badge and removed when needed? What I mean is there wasn't a manufactured badge specifically to house a compass.

Is this an accurate statement?

Thanks

Paul
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  #36  
Old 25-04-17, 09:02 AM
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Sorry Paul I have no knowledge on escape compass use. I'm sure someone will let you know if they were ever put into the back of a real RM badge, for me I doubt it. But what do I know


Regards
Irv
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  #37  
Old 26-08-17, 02:42 PM
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Default Battle Dress escape buttons

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike_2817 View Post
Interesting point is that these 'RAF' Buttons would only have been worn on No1 Dress Jacket, and later in the war Blue Battledress would have been worn in particular by other ranks aircrew? would the brass fly button compass then be used.

What type was used by Army Airborne Troops or SOE etc? I know magnetised razor blades were issued for use in escape and evasion kits, and various other types smuggled into POW camps for use in escapes as well.

Hi Mike,
There were a new set of escape compasses for BD, including a specific Bakelite Button with a magnetic core and two dots to indicate North. These were used like Swinger compasses and suspended from cotton, to swing north. Also the fly buttons and a new invention, the BD Blouse buckle compass. A very ingenious invention...

The transition to BD negated the use of Brass RAF escape buttons, certainly for ground troops, but although the RAF transitioned to Bakelite buttons, Fleet Air Arm retained their brass buttons and therefore, their original escape buttons...

Regards
TB.
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  #38  
Old 26-08-17, 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Cribyn View Post
Hello Phil

A very interesting list and thanks for the effort in creating it.

One point that immediately springs to my mind is that if the Royal Berkshire Regiment had an 'escape button' would it not follow that every other infantry regiment could have had one? Off hand I can see no reason why the Royal Berkshires should have been singled out for special treatment, so to speak.

Roger

Cribyn,

Yes, that logic occurred to me too, but I have never seen or even heard of any other infantry escape button, unless you include RMs... Surprisingly, not even the Parachute Regiment (who Surely must have had one?)...

Regards
TB
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  #39  
Old 26-08-17, 04:47 PM
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There were no regimental buttons on Parachute Regiment battle dresses and Denison smocks, which is what they wore when going into combat.

Rgds, Thomas.
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  #40  
Old 26-08-17, 06:05 PM
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!


Quote:
Originally Posted by fougasse1940 View Post
There were no regimental buttons on Parachute Regiment battle dresses and Denison smocks, which is what they wore when going into combat.

Rgds, Thomas.
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  #41  
Old 26-08-17, 07:53 PM
Pembird Pembird is offline
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Default Escape button compass

Over the years l have had three or four of these buttons all to the RAF, all unscrewed anti clockwise and the last one l found was in a ladies sewing box. You immediately wonder why just one button is in a sewing box, so when l gave it a furtive turn and it moved, so l bought it for the exorbitant price of £2! To much for a button but very reasonable for an escape compass. Bear in mind these are being faked, so beware!
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  #42  
Old 27-08-17, 01:36 PM
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Default WW11 Escapers button - General Service button

I found this one in my dad's WW11 buttons.It took many years before I discoved that it was not an ordinary button!
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  #43  
Old 23-01-18, 11:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Truebrit View Post
Cribyn,

Yes, that logic occurred to me too, but I have never seen or even heard of any other infantry escape button, unless you include RMs... Surprisingly, not even the Parachute Regiment (who Surely must have had one?)...

Regards
TB
It has to be said that the Royal Berkshire’s Escape Button is somewhat unusual, and does beg the question, what other Regimental escape buttons are out there?
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  #44  
Old 23-01-18, 11:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fougasse1940 View Post
There were no regimental buttons on Parachute Regiment battle dresses and Denison smocks, which is what they wore when going into combat.

Rgds, Thomas.

So by that time in the war, most brass escape buttons had gone, since most units were now wearing Battle Dress. However, Fleet Air Arm pilots wore their brass buttons on their BD... Still giving them access to a convenient compass if shot down - although the German authorities had by then discovered most of MI9’s hidden compasses.

Those in BD would still have had access to Fly Button compasses and Bakelite BD Button compasses, Swingers, and possibly BD buckle compasses - if they were ever issued?

All shown in Paul’s photos from his own collection above. Come on folks, dig out some more escape buttons and list them!

One to add to my own list- The Royal Tank Regiment.

Regards
TB
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  #45  
Old 23-01-18, 11:51 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Truebrit View Post
So by that time in the war, most brass escape buttons had gone, since most units were now wearing Battle Dress. However, Fleet Air Arm pilots wore their brass buttons on their BD... Still giving them access to a convenient compass if shot down - although the German authorities had by then discovered most of MI9’s hidden compasses.

Those in BD would still have had access to Fly Button compasses and Bakelite BD Button compasses, Swingers, and possibly BD buckle compasses - if they were ever issued?

All shown in Paul’s photos from his own collection above. Come on folks, dig out some more escape buttons and list them!

One to add to my own list- The Royal Tank Regiment.

Regards
TB
Finally, just as a show and tell, a nice Royal Marines Escape Button. Somewhat more original that the seemingly mass produced RM Escape cap badges (I have one myself) frequently sold by our friend on Ebay...

They were actually used in this way by RM as recently as the Falklands war, so the concept is sound - but this must be the commonest of reproduced E&E fakes, so buyers beware...
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