Aluminium Cigarette Case Made by a German Prisoner of War
This cigarette case was recently donated to the Museum by the niece of a Thame man who was stationed in North Africa during, or just after, World War Two.
The case was made by a German Prisoner of War in one of the many internment camps in North Africa, possibly from old aircraft. Aluminium is a soft metal, so easy to engrave, but it would still have taken many hours to produce something like this, as it is so highly decorated.
It is decorated on all sides and even has a small photo frame inside.
The last Prisoners of War, mainly German and Italian, were repatriated from the North African internment camps, possibly as late as 1949.
Similar examples are held at The Imperial War Museum and REME Museum.
