RAF 'Escape' Boots: Sneaking Past the Enemy

[@bjornkeizers]

I absolutely love the creativity in some of these. No sane person could come up with some of these schemes; which is of course exactly what you want in order to make them less obvious to detection.

[@sidsimon5963]

They were quite innovative when they were first issued, but the German occupation authorities knew about this and were told to look at the footwear when looking for escapees. Another snafu was the practice of issuing civilian identity photos to airmen that all had the same herringbone pattern coat. When the Germans looked at your ID and saw that coat, your goose was cooked.

[@jimomaha7809]

I have heard an other variant of this story bu very likely it is a myth. When the shaft of this boot is removed the shoe part is basicly an Oxford shoe. That is an model of shoe that could be found in most countries of the world. This instruction would have to be issued to...? many thousends of secrurity forces (informers, collaborators) civilian police forces? Also the instructions also needed a photograph /drawing of said shoes. And as said these were resembling regular shoes. Very improbable that escaping airmen were captured because of their footwear. Most airmen dressed in civilian who were captured were captured because they had improper papers, behaved unlike others, thus when required to speak most of them were caught. The civilian identy photos were made with the airman own civilian clothing. They received instructions what and how it should look. No RAF issued civilian clothing were worn. I know that some Dutch resistance groups made new photographs because they were not always of correct size and or not correctly lid when made. Most photograph the men are wearing a light coloured shirt, tie and dark jacket. In those days when getting a photograph you would wear your best looking outfit. There are samples of these photographs on a website; wwii Netherlands escape lines .

[@jimomaha7809]

The first compass escape buttons had actually regular thread. When the first compasses were found by the Germans it was rgular for them to check the buttons. After this became known in Britain, the thread was reversed to left thread and it seems no hidden compasses were found after that. Also some buckles of battledress jacket could turned into a compas. Also the trouserbraces. Some heels of boots had a hidden compartment. The Americans wouls have the plastic bottles with escape items. The Brits would carry a plastic box that still would contane a rubber watercarrier.. Postwar many years after a near identical watercarrier would still be used but some kind of plastic. The early escape kits were not very usefull, but later would containe vitamins, waterpurifier, fishing hooks with lines, the mentioned flexiable saw, but also a very short sawblade, some (falsified) currency of the country that would have been flown over to reach Germany and some a few gold coins, tea . The food inside the escape kit was not a lot, pressed in cubes or square tablets, did not looked and was not appetising, was nutricious. It was found out that many airmen and those of the military who were issued with them would eat even before the operation started the sweets and chewing gum. If the food had tasted good this probably also would be eaten before it actually needed be. Thus the importend nutrious food will be only eaten when they are in need of food and very hungry.

[@ShaunieDale]

Once again, a fascinating insight into war history. You certainly deserve more subscribers.

[@jameslazar4873]

Very interesting bit of history, Gilles

[@nickclaydon2488]

Thanks for the information on these boots. I have my grandads pair of these. Just need to find the knife to complete them. They are the pride of my collection.

[@stevebailey325]

I'm sure you get this comment alot, but how in the hell don't you have x100, x1000 the subs you currently have? Great job! Keep em coming!

[@CanadianMacGyver]

Thanks! I fully intend to! :)

[@Monoryable]

His channel finally started to blow up 😊

[@aaronmillersoutdooradventures]

I agree!

[@ironteacup2569]

These things are so cool

[@duanebouchard8736]

i was under the impression that the tops of the boot had laces that could , lace the tops together, to make a vest, you didn't have to sew them i also was told that a wire saw was in the laces

[@justindunlap1235]

"We put together a a food pack, condensed milk, chocolate powder, Benzedrine." Nice im shot down over Europe and all i have is hot cocoa and speed.

[@kimmoj2570]

@justindunlap1235 Speed, in addition giving you stamina, also supresses appetite/hunger. No hunger pangs. Those who designed kit knew what they were doing. Germans, from pilots, doctors, tankers to average infantry soldiers ate Pervitin (which was straight meth) like candies during early war years. After 1940 the supply was somewhat controlled. They had thousands of troops who had lived largely with Pervitin for weeks, and had serious withdrawal symptoms.

[@kimmoj2570]

German troops marching in roads of France 1940 look all shredded, without ounce of fat. Because they propably have marched for several weeks. Got something to eat every other day, pushed forward with Pervitin pills.

[@kimmoj2570]

Meth is still today used by military forces. USAF crews fly often from Louisiana to Afghanistan/Iraq and back to Louisiana. They are full of meth on those missions.

[@stevecastro1325]

3:23 Benzedrine aka meth!

[@rogerszmodis]

I wonder if anyone was ever killed by a boot falling out to the sky

[@andys9678]

[@Calum_S]

Would the actual shoe part of the boots not be cold to wear?