Accession No
6080
Brief Description
pair of brass RAF buttons and an escape compass, by J. R. Gaunt and Son Ltd., English, 1940 (c)
Origin
England; London and Birmingham
Maker
J. R. Gaunt and Son Ltd. Buttons Ltd.
Class
magnetism; military; navigation
Earliest Date
1940
Latest Date
1940
Inscription Date
Material
metal (brass); glass
Dimensions
29mm diameter
Special Collection
Provenance
Donated on or before 12/07/2006. Purchased by the donor at a Phillip's scientific instrument auction c. 1980.
Inscription
‘J.R. Gaunt & Son Ltd. London’
‘Butions [i.e. Buttons?] Ltd B’Ham Trade Mark’
Description Notes
pair of brass RAF buttons. 1 escape compass by J.R. Gaunt; English; c.1940
1 button with crown and eagle coat of arms by Buttons Ltd
1 button with crown and eagle coat of arms by J.R Gaunt, whose back unscrews to reveal a tiny 8 point compass with 2 dots for North and 1 for South.
References
Events
Description
These buttons were used by the R.A.F. during the Second World War. They both look the same but one unscrews to reveal a tiny compass. The escape buttons were produced by Gaunt, but another company produced the normal buttons. The man responsible for over 2 million secret items used to aid escape was Clayton Hutton. These items included cab badges, buckle and pencils as well as buttons. Other interesting ideas he devised included maps out of silk, which didn’t rustle and a set of playing cards, that when dropped into water, revealed a 52-piece map. These buttons were also made for the navy, they unscrewed clockwise, whereas the R.A.F.’s unscrewed anticlockwise.
[Label written by Rosanna Evans, year 10 work experience student]
Created by: Rosanna Evans, year 10 work experience student
FM:46549
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