I found this very interesting. I have my Dad's WW2 Prismatic Marching Compass made by T.G. Co LTD, NoB 271252, 1944 MKIII. He was in the US Army Air Corp and served in the UK during the war.

I had no doubts that you would reply, however, I never thought you would do it so soon, thank you!

The British prismatic compass is a very well made and sophisticated instrument. The British Army doesn't use it much these days. The type of land navigation that they have adopted is the terrain association method that uses a compass as an adjunct and the orienteering or baseplate compass is used in this method. The dead reckoning method that uses a sighting compass has been largely replaced by the GPS receiver.

thank you it is very informative!

Yep, the one...Lovely😅...two is good too...?.....Pouches...that is...😊....You gotta beat the clock...😮

The video was very good except for a few misinformation facts. The Radium you mentioned was in fact used as the luminous paint that allowed the compass to be used even in the dead of night without exterior illumination. The compass you are showing Has the radium 226 still intact. it is the brownish coloured paint on the clamping ring in the North position that used to illuminate the lubber line there. Since the Radium 226 is still there I can only assume that the rest of the lines and even the North arrow on the compass card (mother of pearl) is also painted in the radium 226 paint. Now the fluid which came standard in those compasses were isopropal alcohol, where you may be getting confused is that over the years, the alcohol in contact with the radium on the card and under it made the alcohol itself radioactive also. Dealing with these old compasses is a dangerous job and should not be undertaken by anyone but those experienced in radioactive items. Even the vapors contained within the compass, if opened for fluid change or topup, will give off radon gas. Some old compasses have been serviced and the alcohol removed to replace with clean alcohol or clarified kerosene, which in time, exposed to the radium 226 will also become contaminated. Collectors of these compasses usually do one of two things. They keep them put away and not close to any living quarters. (basic rule i believe is 15 feet). Or they get them serviced by professionals that I believe some will remove the radium 226 and repaint the illuminators with modern glow paint or replace the illuminators with tritium lights. it is said, wearing one of these compasses around your neck for a day gives you the yearly allowable dosage of radiation you would receive from chest x-rays. just FYI, the halflife of Radum 226 is approximately 1600 years. so even though it is not glowing anymore it is still radioactive for about 3000 years.

It is an old one. Its age is about 60 years.

I have one of these. It reads on the base EAG No 8, (WD arrow pointing up 1943 MKIIIHard to see if there is any liquid in the mother of pearl compass disc.Beautifully made. Are they really that dangerous?

Its age is more than 60. It was made in 1942

Dud, I have a TG Co. Ltd compass shown as a mark 1. With the number B319576. It appears original. I picked it up at a jumble sale. Is it an early one please? Also is it still possible to find out who it was issued to?

Hi mate! I have one of these and a P9 model compass the big one that went on an aircraft. I have just been reading about the radium paint that they used. And I have been reading that they a pretty safe if you are not near them but mine have been under my bed for about 7-8 years. They have both been in a plastic box but I'm quite worried if I have been exposed to radiation for that period of time. Are they really that dangerous? Plus I remember when I got the p9 compass the lid/top that has got the N E S W on was loose and I took the top off it. I'm wondering if I have exposed myself to it that way as well. I havent commented on your videos for ages but I still watch them all. Thank you. Take care

What oil should be used if it needs replacing?

Hello dear i have a 1941 MK3 compass had mother of pearl inside painted black.. im wondering is it safe to handle or to put any place in home? Cz im reading articles about radiations and how dangerous it is.. thank you

Is it a hard job to refill the liquid ,as i have a bubble in mine

May I know what kind of liquid? Is it alcohol or kerosene ?

does anybody know how to remove a bubble in the fluid off this compass and where the fill plug is . I don't want to do the trial and error on my mk111

I have a compass, looks identical to this, except on the bottom. It says Stanley London. Is mine a real or fake?

I got broken one .I fixed it easily by adding more alcohol

Hi there i have a compass T.G.CO.LTD London B 39819 1940 :MK 111 How much would it cost please

Hello there, Would you be so kind, if you know that is; I am sure that you do. I have a few oil filled compasses, which need some attention, however, I do not know where to start. Could you tell me how to dismantle them, so that I can replace the oil rings and so forth? Kind Regards Joseph

Dud i have this copass,,so do u have any roughly idea ..pr today ..what's is the price . L.mt.London ,1940,NA 266322 .I have this one ...reply must plz