WW2 Corps of Signals Pocket Watch

[David Dunlop]

Anyone have an idea what one of these is worth these days, either the black or white faced ones? I'm not that fussy, just as long as it fits in the watch holder on the 19-Set and looks good doing so.

There are a few currently on eBay, mostly Walthams or 'Unknowns', but I am reluctant to get involved with a bidding war without more background information. One buyer appears to have picked up about 17 of them over the past few months, but no sign of them reselling, unless a different seller's name is being used.

There also seems to be two distinct types of military pocket watch issued. A 'standard' one, and one for signal's personnel with a longer stem to clear the pocket watch holder on the Wireless Sets.

David

[Ed Storey]

Here are a couple of images of a pair of watches I have, both were given to me. One is a General Service Time Piece (one with the ring) that came from my Uncle, a WWII RCEME Vet, the other a Time Piece for the No.19 Set came from a neighbor of my parents. Neither is for sale, although I would imagine that purchasing any WWII time piece would probably do damage to at least $100.00.

[Bruce MacMillan]

Just about any GSTP watch of that era will do. There was no "standard issue" watch for the 19 set. None of the kit lists show a watch as an issued item. The WS11 kit had one listed as "watches, non-magnetic, WT" and the WS52 had one but it was deleted from the kit list. There was a VAOS number for the watch (VC7563) so I suspect there were many makers whose order went into the pot and when you needed one you took "pot luck".

As to the stem issue I've seen photos of both ring and ringless watches used. In fact the original manual for the WS11 shows a photo of a watch with a ring.

There is a good article on British issue watches here:
http://www.kilocycles.co.uk/photos/watch.htm

[Grant Bowker]

A loacl wireless collector explained it to me as: the watches were issued to the individual rather than the radio set to ensure accountability. Naturally no-one left their watch in the holder for the next operator to "borrow" since the supply system would charge (probably in both senses) them for the loss. Since nobody was using the watch holders, they were ordered discontinued, removed when broken, which happened easily enough given the brittle nature of bakelite.
I haven't seen documentation of this, but it seems reasonable.

[Bruce MacMillan]

Modification Instruction #11, dated 2Jul1957, called for the removal of all watch holders from the 19 set. The instructions were to dispose of them as scrap. No wonder they are hard to find and not cheap when you do.

[David Dunlop]

Ed. Nice set of watches. I tried to make out the name on the face of the 'ringed' one, but could not enlarge enough. Looked like a large N in the middle of about five letters.

Grant. I recall talking to a veteran a number of years ago who told me he had ordered a pocket watch through his supply channels during the war and was deducted $2.00 Cdn from his payroll for it. A couple of weeks later it grew legs and disappeared on him one night. He never did order another one.

I will see what I can scare up on eBay in the next little while.

While I think of it. While there are a number of references for military pocket watches, they don't appear to have been issued with a specific chain or cord. I am thinking that a pistol or whistle lanyard could have been readily adapted to the pocket watch ring, or even the leather lace used on the vehicle tool kit machetes or folding wire cutters. I cannot recall seeing a wartime photo of a military pocket watch in use with an identifiable retaining device.

David