S is for Scandinavia . . . and the Baltic!

Something completely different today; a World War II British/Allied airman's silk escape map.

When my father was setting-up the International Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol School (ILRRP or 'illerp') at the Fallschrimspringer barracks in Neuhausen ob Eck, South-Western Germany, he happened upon a stash of unused silk escape maps (at Ron Silverman's in London - I think?), and bought them to present to successful students (including Bundeswher members) at the ends of the various courses, as little prizes/keepsakes of Escape & Evation (E&E or EE).

I'm not sure how many designs there were, I think I have ended-up with over a dozen different ones (they tended to be presented to my brother and I more frequently! But when you're only twelve and you've just climbed the Zugspitz with the HAC I think you're ready for the odd freebie!), and they come (came!) in three versions, some are almost 'raw' parachute silk, like home-made, war-time knickers, very silky and shiny, then there is an intermediate type which is slightly papery, possibly a cotton-mix (?), the final type, is this type which is a chalky, stiff, coated/treated silk, with a yellowish tinge, yet - as you can see - still thin enough for the two sides to show through.

Some of the maps, particularly these chalky ones have post war dates (a nice Middle-East map including the Gulf of Hormouz is dated to 1949 or the early 1950's), but this one in an earlier one, and clearly meant for aircrews flying north into the cold of the Arctic Circle (which is marked on the map - so, if you survive the loss of your aircraft, you know why you're so fucking cold!), looking to make their way to the western coasts to try and steal a vessel and get back to Blighty?

Now - the perceived wisdom is that these were sewn into jackets or greatcoats, but I can hardly see the RAF having everyone's linings re-sewn for every new mission/geographical destination, so I assume you were issued them prior to missions under certain circumstances (expected high-loss missions?), or that plane's commanders (or navigators?) received one, or something, and that the hiding of them was down to the ingenuity of the holder?

The purpose of the silk is not its sew-able'ness, but to prevent the details being lost if held next to the skin, but that might mean hiding it in boots, underwear or armpits, where a paper map would A) get damp and rub-away to little wormy pieces, or B) be bloody uncomfortable!

I think they were sewn into some clothing supplied to POW's through the Red Cross, but that was a risky thing and you'd need the relevant maps to end up in the right Stalag, you wouldn't want this map ending up with prisoners held in Italy for instance!

We all know how the Soviets and the Nazis split Poland, while those who do the history 'thing' are familiar with the Finish campaign, but the international boundary-adjustments to this map make it clear that Russia helped itself to anything it fancied prior to the 'Great Patriotic War'!

It's funny, but a certain type of less-educated, 'patriotic' type of British, American or Russian citizen (patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel!) struggles to understand why they or their country are hated elsewhere in the world (or the neighbourhood), but a little study of their history; British Imperialism, Soviet Expansion or American Hegemony, would explain all!

One hopes that when we finally come out of Covid-19's shadows (18-months hence?) there may be the 'great levelling' being talked of, or talked-up . . . but I doubt it, I still see war coming, another repeat of history - how boring!