1946/7 POW cigarette Case

This cigarette case was given to my late father in Egypt in 1946/7 by a German Africa Korps POW who he knew as Walter Dyke (Walther Dijk??) who hailed from Leipzig.
The family story had it that Walter made it and I have always assumed it was unique. However, I have seen a similar cigarette case currently for sale on ebay.
Therefore, could Walter Dyke have made them both or was my father duped and these cases were ten a penny!
Can anyone shed any light on this please.
Welbourn

World War Ancestry - ancestor tracing, military, army, soldier historical research, tracking relatives

 

Snap! This item was found in my late wife's uncle's effects when he died. He served in North Africa.



If they were POW produced they were very busy.

Tony

 

Hi there -

I also have German POW cig cases made in the Le Marchant Camp, Devizes. It appears to have been a regular trade to acquire money or goodies that were not available post-war...

Roddy

 

I borrowed one for an exhibition, I was told by the owner that he watched his being decorated - the aluminium case was already made, the decorating done with worn-out and broken drill bits, saws and simple punches. The small 'enamel' dots were made from the whittled end of a plastic toothbrush, stuck in, cut off and polished. British issue toothbrushes were coloured plastic (I did not know that until then) and the POW's would give a part exchange deal for worn out examples to use. Keith

 

Ha ha! - not as unique as I (or my father late 1/BW Egypt) had always thought. Thanks for the replies guys.

World War Ancestry - ancestor tracing, military, army, soldier historical research, tracking relatives

 

I borrowed one for an exhibition, I was told by the owner that he watched his being decorated - the aluminium case was already made, the decorating done with worn-out and broken drill bits, saws and simple punches. The small 'enamel' dots were made from the whittled end of a plastic toothbrush, stuck in, cut off and polished. British issue toothbrushes were coloured plastic (I did not know that until then) and the POW's would give a part exchange deal for worn out examples to use. Keith

Goes along with my orignal thoughts. The case appears to be professionally produced and the design, that is an attachment, may well have been made by POWs or indeed, the Egyptian locals, they make anything out of anything!

Tony

 

What a great load of people you all are full of allsorts of info, keep it up.
(mick the tune)

 

All these years I thought I had a unique case. Wish my father was still around to learn a bit more!! thanks for the posts and pics

 

Its provenance made it unique to you dad and that makes it unique to you.

 

Snap again!
Brought back with my late uncle in 1945.

 

This cigarette case was given to my late father in Egypt in 1946/7 by a German Africa Korps POW whom he knew as Walter Dyke (Walther Dijk??) and who hailed from Leipzig.


Dyke is not a German name at all, and the version Dijk would be Dutch, not German.

The probable German name is Deich, the diphthong 'ei' being pronounced like the English pronoun 'I' (as in 'Einstein') and the ch being gutteral, as in the Scottish 'loch'.

 

It is indeed special to me. I know it probably needs another thread starting, but is there a way of potentially tracing who Walter Dyke was in the German Army?? I have no knowledge of tracing those records?

 

Deich!!

 

I have a cigarette case that belonged to my dad who told me it was made by a german p.o.w , but where or when he did not say , Dad was attached to the 461st battery/85th field/mountain regiment and from his records he travelled a bit.