The stowage list for the Archer mentions a "hand periscope". While I have a general idea of what such a thing would look like, I tried to do a google search and came up empty. Does anyone have a picture of one of them?
There are illustrations of hand held tank periscopes in 'The fighting tanks' 1930. These were thin cylinders with a round eye piece and viewing lens. The internals were prisms similar to those used in binoculars and monoculars and there was an element of magnification. They had a wooden handle below the eyepiece - this was similar in shape to that on the end of the chain of an old fashioned WC.
Wonder if this could be used for the activity you mention ?? - British WWII Trench Periscope and Case The ones with a wooden handle seem to be more WW1 trench - WW1 OFFICERS TRENCH PERISCOPE 1918 & FITTED LEATHER CASE - £0.00 : DBG Militaria, Online Shop TD
I had a wooden periscope as a kid. Basically two oblong wooden boxes, one fitted inside the other and slid up and down. Angled mirrors top and bottom and it had a sling on the side. Painted Green with a crows foot embedded in either 'box'. It came down to me from a family member who had been 'in tanks', distant uncle. I think but never quite found out who. Used it all the time when playing commando's in the words with my mates, til I fell out a tree one day and smashed it up. Funny thing is, I'd forgotten all about it until I saw this thread pop up. Good Lord but I wish I had it now!
There's an item titled, 'Periscope, No.18, Mk.I' on the Infantry Battalion AFG stores. I tried a picture search but nothing obvious came up for it. (I recall having a periscope as a free gift in a comic, using cardboard boxes, in camo design of course, and mirrors that were forever falling out).
STUNNING WW1/WW2 TRENCH PERISCOPE #14 MK 4 R&J BECK IN ORIGINAL CASE | #305897953 Here's another one for sale similar to previous ones. The firm associated with periscopes in the UK seems to ve R & J Beck. R & J Beck - Wikipedia Judging from the type numbering and the paint job, it seems like the number 14 was the one most likely prevalent in WW2. Vickers manufactured a tank periscope too but it was an installed device and a copy of a Polish design. Interesting history to it though: Vickers Tank Periscope MK.IV - Wikipedia Hopefully more info will surface
Thanks for the pictures everyone. I haven't been able to locate the case in the stowage photographs I have, but I am glad to be able to picture it.
