General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

Fabric map

Patents

N/A

General Description

Fabric; dye or paint.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

61.0 cm

Width

55.0 cm

Height

N/A

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Aviation

Category

Navigation instruments & equipment

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Ordnance

Country

England

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Russia

State/Province

Unknown

Period

After 1952.

Canada

This Cold War era fabric map was revised and reproduced by Great Britain’s Ordnance Survey in 1952, based off of maps published by the British War Office from Geographical Section, General Staff (GSGS) map series no. 2758. The GSGS was in charge of British mapmaking during peacetime and war. The map is two-sided, with one side depicting Stepnoy, USSR at a scale of 1:100,000. It is from the fifth edition of the British Geographical Section, General Staff (GSGS) no. 2758 map series, which was originally published by the British War Office in 1916. The reverse side depicts Stalingrad, USSR at a scale of 1:100,000 and is from the fourth edition GSGS no. 2758 map series, which was originally published by the British War Office in 1919. The maps feature principle railways, roads, oil pipelines, waterways, and key landmarks. Fabric maps, also known as an “escape and evasion map”, were very popular during the Second World War, with Allied airmen and troops. They were often used as a part of escape kits, as unlike paper maps, they are highly durable and quiet, making them valuable for consultation by those who had fallen behind enemy lines. This fabric map of Stalingrad and Stepnoy produced by the British Government in 1952 illustrates the continued need for easily concealable maps in the face of the Cold War. Maps such as this one were likely shared amongst NATO countries.

Function

A two-dimensional graphic representation of Stalingrad and Stepnoy, used by NATO forces to escape enemy territory.

Technical

Fabric maps are more durable, flexible, and water resistant than paper maps. They were often made of silk, but many were made of synthetic fiber. They could be silently concealed inside one’s clothing, avoiding unwanted attention.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Lettering above map border on Stepnoy side reads: "EUROPE 1:1.000.000 STEPNOY RESTRICTED FIFTH EDITION - G.S.G.S. NORTH L-38"; lettering under map border on Stepnoy side reads: "Geographical Section, General Staff, No. 2758./Published by War Office. 1916./Fifth Edition-G.S.G.S. 1952./Annual change about 2' Easterly,/REFERENCE/[legend]/HEIGHTS IN METRES/RESTRICTED/Heights are referred to Black Sea Level. The level/of the Caspian is 28 meters below that of the Black Sea./This map must NOT be considered an authority/on the delimitation of international boundaries./HEIGHTS IN METERS/ABBREVIATIONS/[legend]/Revised and reproduced by O.S. 1952/INDEX TO ADJOINING SHEETS/[index]"; lettering above map border on Stalingrad side reads: "EUROPE 1:1.000.000/RESTRICTED/STALINGRAD/FOURTH EDITION - G.S.G.S./NORTH M-38"; lettering on proper left side of map border has a conversion table from metres to feet and a small scale in miles, kilometres, and nautrical miles; lettering under map border on Stalingrad side reads: "Geographical Section, General staff, No. 2758./Published by the War Office 1919/Fourth Edition - G.S.G.S. 1952./Annual change about I' Easterly,/REFERENCE/[legend]/RESTRICTED/HEIGHTS IN METRES/ABBREVIATIONS/[legend]/This map must NOT be considered an authority/on the delimitation of international boundaries./INDEX TO ADJOINING SHEETS/[index]"; some lettering has not been captured for brevity.

Missing

The artifact appears complete.

Finish

Off-white background with elements in different shades of blue, black, and red.

Decoration

Lines, shapes, and shading meant to represent different terrains, key landmarks, waterways, roads, railways, and oil pipelines; drawn graphic in proper bottom left corners for adjoining multiple maps.