{"title":"Fabric Escape and Evasion Maps","description":"\u003cp\u003eFabric escape maps were made for pilots, soldiers and spies who risked finding themselves behind enemy lines and needing a route home. At first they were improvised by POWs, hand-drawn on whatever cloth was available; later they were officially printed on silk or rayon and issued as part of escape-and-evasion kits. Waterproof, durable, silent to handle and easy to conceal, they were ideally suited to covert use. The earliest recorded example dates to 1918, when Allied prisoners escaping from Holzminden POW camp in Germany used maps sewed into their clothing to get to the Dutch border. During the Second World War, Britain’s MI9, under Christopher Clayton Hutton, refined the concept for Allied airmen. A prolific inventor of covert espionage devices, Hutton is thought to have been an inspiration for Ian Fleming’s conception of Q Branch in the James Bond novels. Handmade escape maps also appeared at Colditz, and were used in the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III. Among their most famous users was fighter ace Chuck Yeager, later the first person to break the sound barrier, who used his silk map after being shot down over occupied France in 1944 to make his way to Spain by the \"Chemin de la Liberté\". The tradition endured into the Cold War and beyond: CIA U-2 pilot Gary Powers carried a cloth escape map when shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960; SAS units used them during the 1991 Gulf War, as recalled by Andy McNab in \"Bravo Two Zero\"; and USAF F-16 pilot Scott O’Grady used an evasion chart when shot down over Bosnia in 1995.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"gsgs-restricted-silk-escape-evasion-map-bandar-abbas-hofuf-uae-iran-arabia-1957-p-6-111161","title":"GSGS Restricted silk escape\/evasion map—Bandar Abbas—Hofuf—UAE—Iran—Arabia 1957","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e'Fabric Map—Restricted—Bandar Abbas\/\/Hofuf—Edition I-GSGS'\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eFabric Map—Restricted—Bandar Abbas \/\/ Hofuf, issued by the Geographical Section General Staff, War Office, and printed by Balding \u0026amp; Mansell Ltd. in 1957. Originally compiled during the Second World War from Middle East Directorate sources and first reproduced in 1945 as GSGS 2555, the map was later reclassified as GSGS Misc. 350 and reissued in fabric form during the early Cold War as a double-sided escape and evasion map. One side covers eastern Arabia, including Qatar and Bahrain; the reverse depicts Trucial Oman (now the UAE), including Dubai and Abu Dhabi along the \"Pirate Coast\", northern Oman, and southern Iran. Reflecting Britain’s strategic interest in Gulf defence and oil security, the map was printed on fabric for durability in field conditions and marked Restricted, indicating issue to authorised military personnel only for use if operating behind enemy lines.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Antiquemapsandprints.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52173548519771,"sku":"P-6-111161","price":1080.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0923\/9583\/1643\/files\/P-6-111161a.jpg?v=1770310615"},{"product_id":"usaf-cold-war-silk-escape-evasion-map-onc-m-12-maluku-sulawesi-banda-sea-1969-p-6-111586","title":"USAF Cold War silk escape\/evasion map—ONC-M-12—Maluku—Sulawesi—Banda Sea 1969","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eONC-M-12 — Operational Navigation Chart— scale 1:1,000,000— For Official Use Only [Sulawesi (Celebes) and Laut Banda \/ Banda Sea]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Cold War era fabric Operational Navigation Chart—For Official Use Only—Banda Sea \/\/ Sulawesi (Celebes), ONC-M-12, issued by the US Air Force in the late 1960s. Fabric escape-and-evasion maps were developed during the Second World War by the British military intelligence organisation MI9, notably under the direction of Christopher Clayton Hutton. A prolific inventor of gadgets for covert military and espionage use, Hutton is also thought to have been one of the inspirations for Ian Fleming’s conception of Q Branch. Printed on both sides of rayon cloth, such maps were durable, silent in use, and easily concealed. Originally issued to airmen for use if shot down behind enemy lines, escape maps were later also supplied to Special Forces, and were notably used by the SAS during the 1991 Gulf War. This example was produced for military aircrew in the Pacific and South-East Asian theatre. The eastern side maps the Banda Sea, including Seram\/Ceram, Halmahera, Ambon, and neighbouring island groups; the reverse (western sheet) covers Sulawesi (Celebes) and adjacent islands.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Antiquemapsandprints.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52807689142619,"sku":"P-6-111586","price":115.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0923\/9583\/1643\/files\/P-6-111586a.jpg?v=1776175663"},{"product_id":"gsgs-restricted-silk-malayan-emergency-escape-evasion-map-singapore-penang-1957-p-6-111584","title":"GSGS Restricted silk Malayan Emergency escape\/evasion map—Singapore—Penang 1957","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eSingapore — Restricted— Edition I–GSGS— Fabric Map 1:1,000,000 [Strait of Malacca—Southern Malaya—Sumatra] \/\/ Penang — Restricted— Edition I–GSGS— Fabric Map 1:1,000,000 [Northern Malaya, Strait of Malacca \u0026amp; Sumatra]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Malayan Emergency-era silk escape map—Restricted—Singapore \/\/ Penang, Edition I–GSGS, issued by the Geographical Section General Staff, War Office, in 1957. Fabric escape-and-evasion maps were developed during the Second World War by the British military intelligence organisation MI9, notably under the direction of Christopher Clayton Hutton. A prolific inventor of devices for covert military and espionage use, Hutton is also thought to have been one of the inspirations for Ian Fleming’s conception of Q Branch. Printed on both sides of rayon cloth, such maps were durable, silent in use, and easily concealed. Originally issued to airmen for use if shot down behind enemy lines, they were later also supplied to Special Forces, and were notably used by the SAS during the 1991 Gulf War. The present example was produced during the Malayan Emergency, when British forces continued to require robust survival mapping for operations in the jungles of Malaya and the surrounding waters. One side maps Singapore, Johor, and the southern Malay Peninsula; the reverse covers Penang and north-western Malaya, with parts of Sumatra and the adjacent seas. It preserves the late-colonial political geography and communications network of British Malaya at a pivotal moment in the region’s decolonising history, on the eve of Malayan independence and a few years before the creation of Malaysia.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Antiquemapsandprints.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52807689175387,"sku":"P-6-111584","price":320.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0923\/9583\/1643\/files\/P-6-111584a.jpg?v=1776175666"},{"product_id":"usaf-cold-war-silk-escape-evasion-map-onc-j-7-oman-saudi-arabia-trucial-uae-1969-p-6-111585","title":"USAF Cold War silk escape\/evasion map—ONC-J-7—Oman—Saudi Arabia—Trucial UAE 1969","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eONC J-7 — Operational Navigation Chart— scale 1:1,000,000— For Official Use Only. [Muscat and Oman \/ Gulf of Oman \/ Arabian Sea sector \/\/ Saudi Arabia \/ Southern Yemen sector—Muscat and Oman, Saudi Arabia, Southern Yemen, and Trucial States]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Cold War era fabric Operational Navigation Chart—For Official Use Only—Muscat and Oman \/\/ Saudi Arabia, Southern Yemen, Trucial State, reproduced from ONC J-7 and issued 1970. Fabric escape-and-evasion maps were developed during the Second World War by the British military intelligence organisation MI9, notably under the direction of Christopher Clayton Hutton. A prolific inventor of gadgets for covert military and espionage use, Hutton is also thought to have been one of the inspirations for Ian Fleming’s conception of Q Branch. Printed on both sides of rayon cloth, such maps were durable, silent in use, and easily concealed. Originally issued to airmen for use if shot down behind enemy lines, escape maps were later also supplied to Special Forces, and were notably used by the SAS during the 1991 Gulf War. The present Anglo-American example was published by the US Air Force during the Dhofar Rebellion, but is based on British G.S.G.S. mapping, as indicated by the printed instruction to refer corrections to the Ministry of Defence, London. One side maps Muscat and Oman, and part of the Trucial States; the reverse covers part of Saudi Arabia \u0026amp; Yemen, preserving the political geography of south-eastern Arabia shortly before the formation of the United Arab Emirates.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Antiquemapsandprints.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52807689404763,"sku":"P-6-111585","price":1120.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0923\/9583\/1643\/files\/P-6-111585a.jpg?v=1776175665"},{"product_id":"gsgs-restricted-cold-war-silk-escape-evasion-map-n-i-39-tehran-bushire-iran-1951-p-6-111582","title":"GSGS Restricted Cold War silk escape\/evasion map—N-I-39—Tehran—Bushire—Iran 1951","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e'Tehran — Restricted— Third Edition— Asia 1:1,000,000— N-I-39 \/\/ Bushire — Restricted— Fourth Edition— North H-39— Asia 1:1,000,000'\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Cold War-era silk escape map—Restricted—Tehran \/\/ Bushire—issued by the Geographical Section General Staff, War Office, in 1951. Fabric escape-and-evasion maps were developed during the Second World War by the British military intelligence organisation MI9, notably under the direction of Christopher Clayton Hutton. A prolific inventor of devices for covert military and espionage use, Hutton is also thought to have been one of the inspirations for Ian Fleming’s conception of Q Branch. Printed on both sides of rayon cloth, such maps were durable, silent in use, and easily concealed. Originally issued to airmen for use if shot down behind enemy lines, they were later also supplied to Special Forces, and were notably used by the SAS during the 1991 Gulf War. This example reflects Britain’s continuing strategic interest in Iran and the Persian Gulf during the early Cold War. One side maps Tehran and the Iranian plateau; the reverse covers Bushire on the Gulf coast, extending across the northern Gulf and the approaches to the Shatt al-Arab. Together, the two sides combine the political and logistical centres of inland Iran with the strategically important waters of the northern Persian Gulf.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Antiquemapsandprints.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52807689535835,"sku":"P-6-111582","price":280.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0923\/9583\/1643\/files\/P-6-111582a.jpg?v=1776175666"},{"product_id":"gsgs-restricted-cold-war-silk-escape-map-archangel-north-scandinavia-russia-1953-p-6-111587","title":"GSGS Restricted Cold War silk escape map—Archangel—North Scandinavia—Russia 1953","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eArchangel’sk (Archangel)— Restricted— Fourth Edition, G.S.G.S.— North Q 36, 37, 38 \u0026amp; part of R 38— [White Sea \/ Beloye More sector]. \/\/ Namsos — Restricted— Fourth Edition, G.S.G.S.— North Q 32, 33, 34 \u0026amp; 35 [Northern Norway, Sweden \u0026amp; Finland]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Cold War-era silk escape-and-evasion map—Restricted—Archangel’sk \/\/ Namsos, Fourth Edition, G.S.G.S., issued in 1952. Fabric escape-and-evasion maps were developed during the Second World War by the British military intelligence organisation MI9, notably under the direction of Christopher Clayton Hutton. A prolific inventor of devices for covert military and espionage use, Hutton is also thought to have been one of the inspirations for Ian Fleming’s conception of Q Branch. Printed on both sides of rayon cloth, such maps were durable, silent in use, and easily concealed. Originally issued to airmen for use if shot down behind enemy lines—for example, U-2 pilot Gary Powers was carrying cloth escape maps when he was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960—these maps were later also supplied to Special Forces, and were notably used by the SAS during the 1991 Gulf War. One side maps Archangel’sk and the White Sea sector of the Soviet Arctic; the reverse covers the adjoining Scandinavian region across Norway, Sweden, and Finland, reflecting the strategic geography of the North Atlantic and Arctic approaches, and the frontier between the Western powers and the Soviet Union in the early Cold War.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Antiquemapsandprints.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52807689601371,"sku":"P-6-111587","price":140.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0923\/9583\/1643\/files\/P-6-111587a.jpg?v=1776175665"},{"product_id":"usaf-cold-war-silk-escape-evasion-map-onc-h6-7-persian-gulf-hormuz-iran-uae-1969-p-6-111583","title":"USAF Cold War silk escape\/evasion map—ONC-H6\/7—Persian Gulf—Hormuz—Iran—UAE 1969","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003eOperational Navigation Chart — ONC-H-7 [Strait of Hormuz \/ Gulf of Oman] \/\/ ONC-H-6 [Persian Gulf] — For Official Use Only\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Cold War-era silk Operational Navigation Chart—For Official Use Only—Persian Gulf (ONC-H-6) \/\/ ONC-H-7, issued by the US Air Force in 1969. Fabric escape-and-evasion maps were developed during the Second World War by the British military intelligence organisation MI9, notably under the direction of Christopher Clayton Hutton. A prolific inventor of devices for covert military and espionage use, Hutton is also thought to have been one of the inspirations for Ian Fleming’s conception of Q Branch. Printed on both sides of rayon cloth, such maps were durable, silent in use, and easily concealed. Originally issued to airmen for use if shot down behind enemy lines, they were later also supplied to Special Forces, and were notably used by the SAS during the 1991 Gulf War. One side covers the western Persian Gulf, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the eastern Arabian littoral; the reverse extends eastwards to the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, Muscat, and the southern Iranian shore, as well as the Trucial States shortly before the formation of the United Arab Emirates. Combining topographical, coastal, and aeronautical information, it reflects the continuing military importance of the Gulf during the Cold War.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Antiquemapsandprints.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52807689666907,"sku":"P-6-111583","price":1080.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0923\/9583\/1643\/files\/P-6-111583a.jpg?v=1776175666"},{"product_id":"gsgs-restricted-cold-war-silk-escape-evasion-map-n-h-38-basra-baghdad-iraq-1953-p-6-111581","title":"GSGS Restricted Cold War silk escape\/evasion map—N-H-38—Basra—Baghdad—Iraq 1953","description":"\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e'Basra — Restricted— Eighth Edition – GSGS— Asia 1:1,000,000— North H-38 \/\/ Baghdad — Restricted— Fifth Edition – GSGS— sheet ref North I-38— Asia 1:1,000,000'\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA Cold War-era silk escape map—Restricted—Basra \/\/ Baghdad—issued by the Geographical Section General Staff, War Office, in the early 1950s. Fabric escape-and-evasion maps were developed during the Second World War by the British military intelligence organisation MI9, notably under the direction of Christopher Clayton Hutton. A prolific inventor of devices for covert military and espionage use, Hutton is also thought to have been one of the inspirations for Ian Fleming’s conception of Q Branch. Printed on both sides of rayon cloth, such maps were durable, silent in use, and easily concealed. Originally issued to airmen for use if shot down behind enemy lines, they were later also supplied to Special Forces. The present example covers one of the most strategically important theatres in the British Middle East series: one side maps Basra, the Shatt al-Arab, Kuwait, and the northern Gulf littoral; the reverse covers Baghdad and the Tigris-Euphrates heartland of Iraq. Its continued operational relevance is underscored by the fact that this edition of the map was issued to SAS units during the 1991 Gulf War, when more up-to-date fabric maps were reportedly unavailable; the map is mentioned in Andy McNab’s Bravo Two Zero, and illustrated in Peter Ratcliffe’s Eye of the Storm. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Antiquemapsandprints.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52807689765211,"sku":"P-6-111581","price":280.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0923\/9583\/1643\/files\/P-6-111581a.jpg?v=1776175665"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.antiquemapsandprints.com\/collections\/fabric-escape-and-evasion-maps.oembed","provider":"Antiquemapsandprints.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}