Description
Object description
German pocket compass used by Lieutenant Gilbert Insall VC, during his successful escape from a German prisoner of war camp in the First World War.
Physical description
Circular pocket compass with ring for lanyard, glass cracked, luminous markings at cardinal points
History note
This compass was purchased illegally from a German at Ingoldstadt for 25 Marks. It was carried concealed to Constance and from Constance to Heidelburg. Used in an escape from Heidelburg to Pfortshein. Not discovered on Insall's recapture and used again at Crefeld. It was discovered on recapture during a strip search but was recovered surreptitiously by the prisoner as he left the search room. It guided him on his successful escape to Holland.
Insall had been awarded the Victoria Cross for the following action:
"For most conspicuous bravery, skill and determination, on 7 November 1915, in France. He was patrolling in a Vickers Fighting Machine, with First Class Air Mechanic T. H. Donald as gunner, when a German machine was sighted, pursued, and attacked near Achiet.
The German pilot led the Vickers machine over a rocket battery, but with great skill Lieutenant Insall dived and got to close range, when Donald fired a drum of cartridges into the German machine, stopping its engine. The German pilot then dived through a cloud, followed by Lieutenant Insall Fire was again opened, and the German machine was brought down heavily in a ploughed field 4 miles south-east of Arras.
On seeing the Germans scramble out of their machine and prepare to fire, Lieutenant Insall dived to 500 feet, thus enabling Donald to open heavy fire on them. The Germans then fled, one helping the other, who was apparently wounded. Other Germans then commenced heavy fire, but in spite of this, Lieutenant Insall turned again, and an incendiary bomb was dropped on the German machine, which was last seen wreathed in smoke. Lieutenant Insall then headed west in order to get back over the German trenches, but as he was at only 2,000 feet altitude he dived across them for greater speed, Donald firing into the trenches as he passed over.
The German fire, however, damaged the petrol tank, and, with great coolness, Lieutenant Insall landed under cover of a wood 500 yards inside our lines. The Germans fired some 150 shells at our machine on the ground, but without causing material damage. Much damage had, however, been caused by rifle fire, but during the night it was repaired behind screened lights, and at dawn Lieutenant Insall flew his machine home with First Class Air Mechanic T. H. Donald as a passenger."
[Source - London Gazette, 23 December 1915]