Original Item: Only One Available. This is a WW1 Verners pattern 1918 dated compass with a British leather case, dated 1917. Made and marked by Cruchon & Emons (C - E), who were located in London, Paris, and Berne, Switzerland. Both are offered in very good condition, with no noticeable damage to either item.

Has the traditional white dial for low light reading with the orange direction arrow intact. The brass lid has a strong hinge and a brass knob on the side for transit locking of the dial. The compass also has a magnifying lens for precise angle calculation (for target engagement). The compass and leather case are in excellent condition.

Markings On Compass Face:

ENGINEER CORPS U.S.

Markings On Compass Back:

C-E
No. 42656
1918

Markings On Leather Case:

T. French & Son LTD.
London
1917

Specifications:
Length/Width: 2”
Open Length: 5 ½”

Verners Pattern compasses are both incredibly popular with collectors as well as being a compass that can still be practically and easily used today. The most common models are the Verners Pattern VII and Verners Pattern VIII which were mainly used during World War 1. Their basic construction is a prismatic dry card compass with both a momentary bearing lock and transit lock.

This is a beautiful piece of history and is welcomed into any military or great war collection!

Compass and map skills are fundamental to warfighter readiness. The compass has been a basic instrument for unit leaders, artillerymen, and scouts since colonial times. A trained soldier with a map and compass is never lost and will reach his planned objective. Magnetic compasses are suitable for military units for reconnoitering, determining direction, orienting maps, fire control and other uses. During World War I and through the early days of World War II, U.S. military compasses were in the form of a pocket watch. The modern "lensatic compass" developed from earlier "prismatic compass" designs, a line that ended with the M-1938 model. The most common modern compass for land navigation is the improved lensatic compass, carried by U.S. soldiers and Marines since World War II.

Origin of the Verner Compass
Colonel William Willoughby Cole Verner was born in 1852 and commissioned into The Rifle Brigade in 1874, retiring in 1904. He served on the staff in the Egyptian campaign of 1884-85 and during the Boer War. He died in 1922.

Whilst the basic prismatic compass design has its origins in Schmalcalder's patent of 1812 (Patent No 3545), Verners Pattern is a significant development which can be traced back to 1895.

In 1895 F Barker produced a Verner Compass (nos 327) and J H Steward produced both a Verner compass, a Major Verners Sergeants compass and a Major W Verner's Patent Night Marching Comapss which were all pocket compasses and not prismatic compasses. All had distinctive compass card markings.

Around 1905 the term Verners Pattern with a model number was used starting with a Verners Pattern V. Generally the compass card is the main area of change in the early models and some of the basic features are evident from the model V through to the VIII and the IX of WWII.