RAF / SOE escape and evasion lighter compass

RAF / SOE escape and evasion lighter compass

Code: E26551

SOLD

MI9 pattern escape and evasion lighter, 'Swinger, Type No.16' issued to some aircrews.  Designed by Christopher Clayton Hutton and his team, this appears to be just a simple but very robust cylindrical lighter.  It has a screw top lid secured to the body via a short chain to avoid loss.  Beneath this is a short section of wick and a standard friction roller mechanism used to create a spark to light it.  The base of the lighter can be unscrewed to reveal the chamber for the wadding to which the fuel was added, and a tiny knurled screw within a centrally positioned cylinder at the top of the base can be undone to reveal space for spare flints.  What isn't obvious is that the entire top of the base can be unscrewed via a reverse thread, revealing a hidden standard 0.5" MI9 pattern compass.  The superbly ingenious MI9 lighter is one of the rarest as production numbers were relatively low.  This example has minor storage marks but is in super unissued/unused condition.  Stock code E26551.