mark holden Posted 14 March , 2016 Share Posted 14 March , 2016 I picked this torch up last weekend at a local car boot sale its previous owners details are on the carrying strap 48890 W H Croft RFA. Its a variant of private purchase torch I have not encountered before. I hope its of interest. more more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 14 March , 2016 Share Posted 14 March , 2016 What size/shape are the batteries (battery)? It looks perfect for taking a couple of Army issue AAs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark holden Posted 14 March , 2016 Author Share Posted 14 March , 2016 Gareth, Closer to D size batteries regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 14 March , 2016 Share Posted 14 March , 2016 (edited) Mark. Very nice. By coincidence I've one very similar to that, complete with strap. I also have a single cell battery which is the full length of the torch but as you say same diameter as a D cell. I'll dig it out and photograph it. Here's another torch I have, just happen to have an image on file, which came complete with battery. The torch is patent dated, from memory 1915, I'll check that too. Regards Tocemma Edited 7 November , 2016 by tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 14 March , 2016 Share Posted 14 March , 2016 Lots of papers for this chap. Service commenced 1907, discharged with neurasthenia in July 1919, and died in October 1919. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 15 March , 2016 Share Posted 15 March , 2016 (edited) Mark, Here's the one I have. Not identical but very similar. Unlike yours mine does not have an end cap made of leather. I have seen many similar torches over the years but most do not have covers. Mine has no Government marks so I assume is a commercial offering. I have seen many examples of similar sized torches with dates and arrows. Given the size of the battery I would imagine they were used by those whose duties would require extended usage and battery life. The battery shown did not come with this particular torch but was from one of near identical design and is of the correct size. It was quite a difficult job to extract it from the torch it was in as it had leaked. It had to be done carefully so as not to destroy the label or the battery itself. The battery may be made up of several 'D' size cells, in a single cardboard covering rather than one single as I said yesterday. Regards Tocemma Edited 7 November , 2016 by tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovetown Posted 15 March , 2016 Share Posted 15 March , 2016 Nice torches guys. I love the innards and details of objects like this. TM: you may remember a similar thread ages ago whereby someone wanted to know about this kind: Not an everyday - let alone Ever Ready (groan) - find. Cheers, GT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark holden Posted 15 March , 2016 Author Share Posted 15 March , 2016 TM and GT thank you both for adding to this thread. The batteries are interesting I did not realise that D Cell type batteries were available during WW1. Every day a school day. I managed to acquire an ORILUX battery last year the dealer did not realise it was in the torch when I bought it! regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark holden Posted 15 March , 2016 Author Share Posted 15 March , 2016 TM, The end cap unscrews and contains the spring (-) for the battery very similar to a modern Maglite torch! Mark, Here's the one I have. Not identical but very similar. Unlike yours mine does not have an end cap made of leather. I have seen many similar torches over the years but most do not have covers. Mine has no Government marks so I assume is a commercial offering. I have seen many examples of similar sized torches with dates and arrows. Given the size of the battery I would imagine they were used by those whose duties would require extended usage and battery life. torch 1.jpg torch 2.jpg The battery shown did not come with this particular torch but was from one of near identical design and is of the correct size. It was quite a difficult job to extract it from the torch it was in as it had leaked. It had to be done carefully so as not to destroy the label or the battery itself. The battery may be made up of several 'D' size cells, in a single cardboard covering rather than one single as I said yesterday. large battery.jpg Regards Tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 15 March , 2016 Share Posted 15 March , 2016 (edited) Yup! Funny, never managed to find an Orilux battery and I must have had dozens of the lamps over the years. I had a very Gucci little German lamp once, very clever bit of kit. A Leuchtpult made by Deutsche Leuchtpult Gesellschaft something like that anyway. Very clever little light box for drawing maps and writing orders with a sort of folding lid. Came in a lovely little storage pouch, material very similar to the Pickelhaube covers. Wish I'd kept that, it still worked too. Edited 7 November , 2016 by tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry B Posted 3 August , 2019 Share Posted 3 August , 2019 looks the same as the Ediswan torch I just got, same size and on off switch, though mine does not have the cover. Mine is dated 1917 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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