Blood Chits, Surrender Leaflets, and Escape Maps

This one is identical to the one shown as figure 7.36 on page 107 of Last Hope.

The number "2" indicates a later issue than the one shown above.  The "W" prefix indicates it was issued by Washington DC.  The serial number is in the correct position between the Chinese characters.

The Chinese chop applied at the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC is nice and strong.

We have several of these, the serial number may vary (in the 55000-63000 range). The condition and quality is similar to the one shown.

It is very soft satin finish rayon.  It measures 8 by 10 inches.

The condition is near excellent throughout.

It is considered by many to be the most beautiful of the US-made blood chits.

It is shown as figure 7.32 on page 103 of Last Hope.

It is rayon and backed with coarse twill.  There are brown stains at the corners, as shown.

This is a view of the back. It measures 9-1/2 by 9-1/2 inches.

The condition is very good throughout. It shows signs of use and long carry in the CBI.

This is one of a number of leather theater-made blood chits used throughout the CBI.  It most closely resembles the chit shown on page 140 as Fig 7.98 in Last Hope, although there are the expected variations due to several makers differing styles.

These are 3 period snapshot photographs of the soldier and his camp who wore it: Front -- Back

It is goatskin leather.  It measures 10-1/4 by 9-3/4 inches.

The condition is very good throughout. It shows signs of use and long carry in the CBI.  There are some paste marks on the back from when it was once mounted in a combat album.

This is one of a number of leather theater-made blood chits used throughout the CBI.  In the place where the message normally was printed are the signatures (many with addresses) of GIs serving in North Africa (1943), India (1944) and China (1945).  Campaigns and battles listed on the stripes of the flag are:

• S.S. CHISHOLM (?)

• Gibraltar

• Fleurs-St. Cloud

• Shuttle C-47

• Suez - Said

• Sikh

• Red Sea - Agean - Indian Ocean - Arabian

• Bombay - Calcutta

• Many others.

These are two close-up images: Top -- Bottom

It is goatskin leather.  It measures 11-1/2 by 9-1/2 inches.

The condition is very good throughout. It shows signs of use and long carry in the CBI.  There are some tape and paste marks from when it was once mounted in a combat album.

This one is identical in all respects to the one shown as figure 7.108 on page 143 of Last Hope.

They are described in detail from page 139-145 of Last Hope.

It is goatskin leather.  It measures 10 by 8-1/2 inches.

The condition is near excellent throughout. It is in much better condition than the one shown in the book.

This one is most like the one shown as figure 7.82 on page 134 of Last Hope in the printing and 7.86 on page 135 in construction.

They are described in detail from page 139-145 of Last Hope.

It is goatskin leather.  It measures 11 by 8-1/4 inches.

The condition is near excellent throughout. It is in much better condition than the one shown in the book..

This one is identical to the one shown as figure 7.19 on page 94 of Last Hope.

These chits were US printed and issued to the "Hump Flyers" of the ICD-ATC.  This was the FIRST of the US made chits, dating to about March 1944. It is often misidentified as DEB-10, from similarities to the India printed chit.

There is a 5 digit green ink machine printed serial number on the lower edge. The machine numbering at the lower right of the US flag was discontinued prior to this chit being issued.  The printing is blue ink.

It is very soft heavy weight cotton.  It measures 10 by 10 inches.

We only have ONE of these available.  It is a very scarce chit.

The condition is generally very good throughout.  There are tape marks at the edges from when it was once mounted in an album.

This one is identical to the one shown as figure 7.27 on page 99 of Last Hope.

There were just shy of 13,000 of these printed and issued to the "Hump Flyers" of the ICD-ATC.  This was the FIRST of the rayon chits.

There is no serial number (none were numbered).  The printing is blue ink.

It is very soft rayon.  It measures 8 by 10 inches.

We only have ONE of these available.  It is a very scarce chit.

The condition is generally very good throughout.

This one is identical to the one shown as figure 7.39 on page 109 of Last Hope.  This is a seven language chit (no English).

The early versions of the Type (4) chit do NOT have the "N^o" preceding the number.

The printing is black ink with a 5-digit red serial number.

It is very soft rayon.  It measures 8 by 10 inches.

The condition is generally very good throughout.

This one is identical to the one shown as figure 7.40 on page 110 of Last Hope.  This is a seven language chit (no English).

The late war versions of the Type (4) chit have the "N^o" preceding the number.

The printing is black ink with a red prefixed 6-digit serial number.

It is very soft rayon.  It measures 9-1/2 by 12 inches.

The condition is generally near excellent throughout.

This particular bloodchit was mounted and presented to Ruth Beatty for Fundraising for the Victory Loan Campaign of 1945, probably because of connections with the Clyde Beatty Circus.

This one is identical to the one shown as figure 7.40 on page 110 of Last Hope.  This is a seven language chit (no English).

The late war versions of the Type (4) chit have the "N^o" preceding the number.

The printing is black ink with a red prefixed 6-digit 200,000 series serial number.

It is very soft rayon.  It measures 9-1/2 by 12 inches. The period frame measures 11-1/2 by 14-1/2 inches.

The condition is generally near excellent throughout.

This one is identical to the one shown as figures 6.24 and 6.25 on page 73 of Last Hope.  This is a two language chit (Russian and English).

These chits were produced from early June 1944 to the end of the war.

It is very thin paper-thin dense woven rayon.  It measures 9-1/2 by 7-1/2 inches unfolded as shown.  It is printed on both sides, however, it is designed to be displayed in several configurations when properly folded.

This is a scarce and difficult to find wartime blood chit.

The condition is generally very good throughout.

This ID is almost never encountered, as it was required to be returned to the command on termination of assignment.

It has a heavy paper four-fold cover and a captive interior printed sheet with instructions and places for cachet stamps to be applied.  It measures 10-1/4 by 4 inches unfolded, and 5-1/8 by 4 as shown at the left.  It is printed on all sides.  This is the inside cover with photo and signature of the agent, the rear inside cover warning, and rear cover.  The authorization page is shown here.

All significant text is rendered in four languages: English, Russian, French, (and German in case of loss with instructions to return it).

The condition is generally very good throughout.

This is a five language chit (Hebrew, Yiddish, Arabic, German and English).

These chits were produced very early in the war.

It is lightweight paper.  It measures 16 by 13 inches unfolded as shown.  It is printed on both sides, however, it is designed to be folded in eighths.

It has the written text for "I am a member of the British Forces. Please assist me and help me return to my friends. The British Government will reward you."  The languages are printed in the appropriate alphabets and there is an English-language pronunciation guide for each message in each language. At the bottom of the front are a number of useful phrases, also written and pronounced.  The back has more useful phrases, similar to the front.

This is a scarce and difficult to find wartime blood chit.

The condition is generally good to very good throughout.  There are some minor splits on creases that do not impact content.

The languages are Persian, Turkish, Italian, Finnish, Serbo-Croatian, German, French, Swedish, Arabic, Greek, Polish, English and Russian.

This is an early version this particular chit.  Note the serial number is all the way at the bottom.  It was printed by SF in April 1951 from the February 1951 design.

The ink is a very dark blue-black.

The classification RESTRICTED has been struck out by marker pen.

The languages are Persian, Turkish, Italian, Finnish, Serbo-Croatian, German, French, Swedish, Arabic, Greek, Polish, English and Russian.

This is a later version this particular chit.  Note the serial number is printed higher on the chit, above the Russian and Swedish text.  It was printed by K.G.  in September 1951 from the February 1951 design. 

The text ink is blue.

The classification RESTRICTED has not been struck out.

The languages are Japanese, Korean, Chinese, German, Burmese, French, Hindi, English, Urdu, and Russian.

This is an early version this particular chit.  Note the serial number is all the way at the bottom. The one shown is representative, the serial number may vary.  It was printed by SF in April 1951 from the February 1951 design.

The ink is a very dark blue-black.

The classification RESTRICTED has not been struck out.

The languages are Arabic, Greek, German, French, Bulgarian, Russian, Lithuanian, Polish, Hungarian, Czech, Turkish, Slovak, Rumanian, and English.

This is an early version this particular chit.  Note the serial number is all the way at the bottom.  It was printed by SF in April 1951 from the February 1951 design.

The ink is a very dark blue-black.

The classification RESTRICTED has not been struck out.

This blood chit was printed in anticipation of US intervention in Cuba and surrounding areas of Central and South America.

It was designed and published in July 1960.  This one was printed by SF  in December 1961.

It measures 9 by 15 inches.  It is printed in French, Spanish, Portuguese and English.

The text is dark blue.

This was the only US-made combination blood chit and evasion map.

It is identical to the one shown in figure 7.18 and described in text on pages 92-93 of Last Hope.

The blood chit is printed in seven languages: Bengali, Hindistani (Urdu), Kachin, Lisu, Burmese, Chinese and English.  The reverse side has more map detail.

It was designed in January 1944 and printed by the US Map Service US Army, Washington DC.  This one was printed in July 1944.  We also have one printed in April 1945.

This map was originally classified RESTRICTED. It was declassified after the war.  It is printed on one side only.  It measures about 19 inches square.  It is printed in three colors on rayon.  This is a view of more map detail.

It has no identification numbers or dates apparent.

The paper leaflets measure 8-1/2 by 5-1/2 inches (top leaflet) and 4 by 6 inches (bottom leaflet).

The leaflets are available separately at $49.99 each.

Combination offer of all four items saves $100.00.

There may be minor cosmetic differences in the ones you receive, as serial numbers and stamp location vary from one chit to another.  The condition is very good to near excellent overall on all pieces.

This map is documented in the MOST SECRET classified 1942 reference of MI-9 maps Per Ardua Libertas (available separately).

Some details can be seen under strong black light, but not enough to determine the exact nature of the map.  In practice, the khaki dye was removable by a chemical (probably citric acid or some similar chemical that might be available to a POW).

It measures about 16 inches square.

This map is documented on page 12 and pictured on page 16 of the MOST SECRET classified 1942 reference of MI-9 maps Per Ardua Libertas (available separately).

This map is printed in three colors on silk showing the entire length of the English Channel with very detailed views of the continent and a partial view of England. Ship routes and distances are also documented. The key is shown here.  These are detail images around Normandy, Holland, and Calais/Dover.

It is printed on one side only.  It measures about 17-1/2 by 22 inches.  There are some very old wrinkles and slight soiling from when it was folded for carry.

It has an identification letter "C" on each corner only, and the key in English.

The front of the map is printed in three colors on silk showing the entire country of France with very detailed of coastal defenses (spelled "defence"), and enemy territory borders. Rail and overland traffic routes and distances are also documented. The reverse side has a black on white map of Germany.  The key is shown here.

It is printed on BOTH sides.  It measures about 17-1/2 by 22 inches.  There are some very old wrinkles and minor soiling from when it was folded for carry.

It has an identification letter "9.C(a)" on the color side corner and "9.U" on the black and white side corner.

This map was formerly classified RESTRICTED and based on 1942  and 1944 Ordnance Surveys of the area, updated to 1953.

This map is printed in three colors (blue, red, black) on rayon "silk" showing the entire length of the corridor between Moscow and Berlin. The key is shown here.  These are detail images around Vilna, Berlin, and Holland.

It is printed on two sides.  One side has Minsj/Vilna and the other has Berlin/Amsterdam.  It measures about 38 by 22 inches.  This map is in near mint condition.

It has a survival Glossary of essential words in Danish and Swedish translated to English and back.

• Map List, showing route and generic escape maps
• Illustration of the Map

Some details of the map are shown here, including the key and a sample of the detail.

•  Map key

•  Map detail

The condition is near very good. with stains and spots (apparently from a wound) overall as shown

This is a full-sized and complete map. It is shown partially unfolded to reveal details.

Some details of the map are shown here, including the keys and a sample of the detail.

•  Map "C" key

•  Map "D" key

The condition is near excellent, as shown

This is a full-sized and complete map. It is shown partially unfolded to reveal details:

• Overall front
• Overall rear
• March 1944 publication date
• Text
• Key

This one is described and pictured on page 169 of Last Hope.

The condition is near excellent, as shown

The condition is generally good to very good overall, with edge wear and creases from long storage rolled up, as shown.  Various types and quality of paper were used, some pieces are more fragile than others.

Map 1 has the long range overall view of the nearly 80 mile distance of the guns at Crepy to the center of Paris.  A close-up of a portion of the map is shown here.

Map 2 has a overview of the the guns at Crepy and railroad sidings to the main guns. Close-ups of portions of the map are shown here and here.

Map 3 has the long range overall view of the nearly 80 mile distance of the guns at Crepy to the center of Paris.  A close-up of a portion of the map is shown here.

Map 4 has the long range overall view of the nearly 80 mile distance of the guns at Crepy to the center of Paris.  A close-up of a portion of the map is shown here.

Map 1 is approximately 24 inches square.  The others are about 24 by 30 inches.

The condition is generally excellent throughout.

A close-up of a portion of the map is shown here to show an example the level of detail. The layer steps are designed to be used with the RAF Conventional Sign Card (not included).

The keys and dates of the map are shown here and here.

The map is paper and is approximately 25 by 33 inches.