I just reread 'The Great Escape' and it suddenly hit me that they had made around 250 compasses, all with 'Made in Stalag Luft III' on the bottom. Not only did only 76 get out, but they were only planning for around 220 anyways. So what happened to all the compasses? They didn't just throw them away. I half expected to find some on eBay for ridiculous amounts, but nothing. I know they stored them down Dick, and Dick was never found. So? Anybody got one?
2007-11-24 17:27:01 · 4 answers · asked by Ra M 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
Sorry if this doesn't make sense, but I think if you know the answer, you'll know what I'm talking about. Sort of. Sorry. Long day.
2007-11-24 17:35:03 · update #1
Lesse what I'm trying to say...76 out of about 200 guys got out in the great escape. They all had compasses handmade by fellow POWs. What happened to all the compasses after the guys were recaptured/the tunnel was found?
2007-11-24 17:36:43 · update #2
I thought the same thing about the inscription being a giveaway-but Brickhill claims they said that, and Burgess says they said 'Made in Stalag Luft III. Patent Pending'. I guess they figured if somebody was suspicious enough to search them and find the compass they were done for anyways.
2007-11-24 18:17:24 · update #3
Intriguing question
There's at least one here
http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART29411.html
It seems the entrance at least of Dick has been excavated and some materials found a rubber heel converted into a stamp no mention of compasses though.
http://www.geomarineuk.com/news/pdf/geo_review_1_2004.pdf
2007-11-24 21:10:43 · answer #1 · answered by Tim D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
WOFF Hake – whose Spitfire was shot down over France in April 1942 on operations with No. 72 Squadron (RAF) – played the most prominent part in preparations for the breakout as he was the mastermind of the compass-making operation.
The ingenious compasses were made from melted Bakelite phonograph records, slivers of magnetised razor blades, glass from broken windows and solder obtained from the seals of tin cans. WOFF Hake stamped them with the inscription “Made in Stalag Luft III. Patent pending” so that the bearers, if recaptured, would not be shot as spies.
2007-11-25 01:09:21 · answer #2 · answered by mystic_chez 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I doubt if this was inscribed on the compasses. It would be a bit of a give away if the escaper was searched and he had anything that connected him to a POW camp.
The rest of them were probably buried where they were or thrown away. They would have had no value in those days.
2007-11-24 17:52:35 · answer #3 · answered by brainstorm 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
what??? you don't make sense?
2007-11-24 17:31:59 · answer #4 · answered by katlvr125 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋