# POW Monopoly sets



## s1chris (Oct 14, 2013)

Ok so I might be about 6 years late with this question after it's supposed declassification from the official secrets act. 

But are the claims that a compass, two piece file, local currency and a silk escape map were concealed within Monopoly board game sets and sent into the POW camps by the Red Cross to aid escape?

It's sounds entirely plausible but I have also seen many claims that this was/is a hoax. 

Are there any examples of the game around in POW guise? 

Cheers Chris


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## Lucky13 (Oct 14, 2013)

Sssssshhhhh......ffs....or people will start receiving Monopoly sets here!




Interesting though!


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## pattle (Oct 14, 2013)

I think that it was MI9 that did this, although they were sent my other means and not via the Red Cross as MI9 did not want to risk ruining the Red Cross's credibility and reputation. MI9 was the department within British intelligence that specialised in helping pow's and downed airmen to escape from the continent, British intelligence understood that guarding pow's and searching for escapees etc was a drain on German resources.


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## s1chris (Oct 14, 2013)

I only found this out three hours ago and I'm already planning on buying eBay's current lot of offerings. 

I wonder if the modern day equivalent would be just as effective if smuggled inside an Xbox lol.

Back on subject - 

I have doubts about the whole thing. 

1) given that the maps supposedly had safe houses and key resistance details on them. 
This was apparently concealed within the "Scotty Dog" playing piece and when broken open (card counters due to metal usage restrictions etc) there would be a silk escape map. What I doubt is that this much data about key resistance locations would be sent in uncontrolled parcels. Still it's possible. 

2) real local currency hidden inside the deck of Monopoly money. My doubt is. What if the Red Cross parcels were intercepted and the German guards fancied a game of gold old Monopoly. It wouldn't take the Gestapo to work out what was going on if the money was discovered. 

The only way I can sort of justify this is that Mi9 and the Waddingtons knowing that monopoly takes at least three weeks to complete a game, took a chance and realised that Germans would have got bored and packed the whole thing away.

Does anybody have contact with any former POW's who could confirm the claims?

Cheers Chris


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## s1chris (Oct 14, 2013)

Pattle - Thanks. Your explanation clarifies a few points I had doubts about.

Any photographs or examples in existence? 

Cheers Chris


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## Airframes (Oct 14, 2013)

The silk maps being marked with anything other than normal features sounds very 'fishy' to me, such things as 'friendly' forces, safe houses or Resistance cells would definitely _not_ be marked on _any_ map, silk or otherwise, and to be honest, the whole process seems open to huge risk. 
That said, there were some rather hair-brained and ludicrous things dreamed up by the spooks during WW2, so at least _part_ of it might be true.
The other doubt is the method of getting the parcels to any particular PoW camp - as far as I'm aware, parcels could only be assembled and delivered via the Red Cross organisation, so how did these parcels get from the UK to the right area, to be delivered to the Germans for delivery to the camps??!!
Additionally, such things as button compasses and silk escape maps, were part of air crew issue, and a compass can be made quite simply, and were made, by PoW's, as were local area maps, at least, from 'Intelligence' gathered on work parties, transit between camps, and overall general geographic knowledge, particularly with air crew.
Certainly air crew, and those operatives of SOE and OSS working 'behind the lines' might be given vague information about the approximate location of a contact point in any given area, but this would be in the form of "Make for Angers, and visit the Cafe Noir" sort of thing.
Finally, I've heard of PoWs _making_ such things as Monopoly sets, Drafts, playing cards etc, but those former PoWs I've known, have never mentioned such things as these being delivered!


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## s1chris (Oct 14, 2013)

Thanks Terry. "Apparently" this particular way of concealing and delivering escape equipment was only declassified in 2007 in case there was a need to use it again. 

This in itself I think is a bit dubious and kind of falls down with the readily available X-ray facilities in use for a long period of time. The compass for sure would show up and even a mass inside an object would appear different to the rest of the objects. 

Another claim is that they were delivered from the manufactures to an unrelated office address iirc in London Victoria and collected from there for forwarding. 

Apparently aircrew were briefed of their existence and the POW monopoly board was identified with a red "printing error" square in the Free parking square of the board. Given that aircrew were aware of the existence of such an item and secrets act or not I think this would have become public knowledge well before now.


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## Airframes (Oct 14, 2013)

I think so too. As I mentioned, _part _of it _might_ be true, but there's also a possibility that the whole thing is an elaborate hoax, or scam - especially if, suddenly, there are a number of the sets appearing for sale on a particular Internet auction site. Remember the supposed BoB veteran's Log Book you mentioned?
Further research would be needed before any investment is made, and the first port of call would be the National Archives, were the 'de-Classified' documents will be held.


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## s1chris (Oct 14, 2013)

Agreed Terry. I cant find currently for sale or even in past sales any Monopoly set described as above. 
There are plenty of ww2 era sets for sale for around £10 so I might just get one and try and see if it's possible to conceal such items. 

One thing I have found out that may bust the myth is the claim of the map being inside the Scotty dog. 
All of the 1940's sets I have seen don't have a Scotty dog! That's either because it wasn't a game piece at that time or! All of the sets I have seen were POW sets and they have just had the Scotty dog either used at the time or other people are hunting the Scotty dogs down for the same reason. 

I'm going with option 1 but I just know that I will now be obsessed with bloody monopoly Scotty dogs. 
Christ what is the world coming to? Curse of the Scotty Dogs!


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## s1chris (Oct 14, 2013)

Confirmed - the Scotty dog wasn't added until the 50's!


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## pattle (Oct 14, 2013)

I first heard about this from a TV doc featuring actual MI-9 workers, MI-9 had a lot of clever ideas about how to get things in to camps and I while believe the bare bones of this story are true I doubt the details. I believe the Americans also had a way of not only getting info and items into camps but also importantly a method of getting info out of camps. From memory I believe the Americans may have deliberately planted specially trained people into camps and that info was returned home through coded letters, again through memory I seem to recall that the info returned home included details of units resting in Germany that sometimes guarded camps etc.


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## silence (Oct 14, 2013)

s1chris said:


> I only found this out three hours ago and I'm already planning on buying eBay's current lot of offerings.
> 
> I wonder if the modern day equivalent would be just as effective if smuggled inside an Xbox lol.
> 
> ...



Wait a minute - what's this about "completing a game of Monopoly"? Show me video or it didn't happen.

Completing Monopoly.... HA! Right.....


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## s1chris (Oct 15, 2013)

silence said:


> Wait a minute - what's this about "completing a game of Monopoly"? Show me video or it didn't happen.
> 
> Completing Monopoly.... HA! Right.....



It's a myth also. Nobody playing more than two player Monopoly has ever lived to tell the tale.


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## s1chris (Oct 15, 2013)

pattle said:


> I first heard about this from a TV doc featuring actual MI-9 workers, MI-9 had a lot of clever ideas about how to get things in to camps and I while believe the bare bones of this story are true I doubt the details. I believe the Americans also had a way of not only getting info and items into camps but also importantly a method of getting info out of camps. From memory I believe the Americans may have deliberately planted specially trained people into camps and that info was returned home through coded letters, again through memory I seem to recall that the info returned home included details of units resting in Germany that sometimes guarded camps etc.



Hi Pattle, any further information on the specifics would be appreciated. I really want to try and get some of these into my collection if they can be found. Even if just to recreate them using vintage examples of the items etc.

Cheers Chris


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## Njaco (Oct 15, 2013)

What would the map depict?? Cuba?

sounds fishy.........................


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## pattle (Oct 15, 2013)

s1chris said:


> Hi Pattle, any further information on the specifics would be appreciated. I really want to try and get some of these into my collection if they can be found. Even if just to recreate them using vintage examples of the items etc.
> 
> Cheers Chris



Sorry I can't remember, I watch a lot of stuff on the history channel and I am pretty sure I saw it on there or a similar channel, somebody else must have seen the same documentary?


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## GrauGeist (Oct 15, 2013)

Looks like there may be some truth to this...

Monopoly Used To Assist WWII POW Escapes-Truth!

How board game helped free POWs - CNN.com

How Monopoly boards got second world war prisoners out of jail free | UK news | theguardian.com

POWs And Parker Brothers - Forbes With image of the game

Monopoly's Hidden Maps Help World War II POWs Escape - ABC News More images of the game


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## Soldier (Oct 15, 2013)

This was true. Below the link is the snopes link to it 

interesting info







snopes.com: POW Escape Maps Hidden in Monopoly Games


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## Airframes (Oct 15, 2013)

Good stuff, and I retract my previously stated doubts. I checked some of my references and old notes, and there is a brief mention of items (type not stated) being smuggled in, concealed in games and other items - even a camera and film!
Also, during my time 'on the road' in the photo/printing industry, I visited Waddington's a couple of times, and dimly recall a small 'wartime' exhibition display in the reception foyer, I think in the late 1980's or maybe 1990, which included various printed items, one of which was a silk map. Can't remember all the details, as I didn't have time to study the display.


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## parsifal (Oct 15, 2013)

adds a whole new meaning to the "get out of jail free" card.....


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## GrauGeist (Oct 15, 2013)

You know, when I was a kid, we played Monopoly on a real old set...and I distinctly recall seeing the red dot on the board.


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## Airframes (Oct 16, 2013)

Hope you weren't in a wooden hut Dave, whistling the theme tune from 'The Great Escape' !


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## GrauGeist (Oct 16, 2013)

lol Terry...close...at that age, I was notorious for escaping!

There were rolling hills, orange groves and all sorts of places in need of exploring, so the moment the folks looked away, I was out the door!


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## s1chris (Oct 16, 2013)

Great finds people! 

Terry - with Waddingtons in ww2 apparently they we're the only company in the England that had the technology an were capable of printing such detail onto silk. It may be the case that they made all of the maps?

I'm going to take the plunge and buy a vintage set and recreate this . Confirmed.

Cheers Chris


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## Airframes (Oct 16, 2013)

I'm not sure if Waddington's would be the _only_ company, at the time, who could print small details on fine fabrics. The technology had been around for some time, but was fairly involved and relatgively expensive, where consistent, accurate detail was required.
I now live in Macclesfield, which was the center of the European silk industry, at the end of the 'Silk Road' from Asia, and some of the older, original 'home grown' residents I know, have told me about the production of silk for parachutes being a major production requirement during WW2, even allowing for the introduction of the Du Pont 'Nylon' fabrics which eventually replaced silk. I've also heard mention of silk map production, and a large print works in the town, now closed, might have been printing these also, according to the locals.


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## s1chris (Oct 16, 2013)

Hi Terry, my thoughts exactly (hence the apparently lol) it's just another statement that makes me doubt there existence. 
On the other hand if the map was required to fit inside a monopoly piece then I assume it would need to smaller than the standard type/size silk map, this requiring a fine type of print and detail that maybe only Waddingtons possesed. 

Cheers Chris


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## pattle (Oct 16, 2013)

I' pretty confident although not certain that silk maps were also used by other groups during the war, I think it could have been SOE, Commando's or Paratroops or perhaps all of these?


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## GrauGeist (Oct 16, 2013)

Didn't the AVG pilots have silk maps sewed into the liners of their flight jackets?


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## s1chris (Oct 16, 2013)

Yeah that's plenty of examples of these silk maps for sale on auction sites but I suspect that those types wouldn't have fit inside a monopoly piece .

Silk for a couple of reasons - 

Water proof because of material (compared to paper)
Zero noise when unfolding (unlike paper)
No creases when unfolding allowing clear viewing 

Hopefully some documents or photographs of these items will surface soon. 

Cheers Chris


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## GrauGeist (Oct 16, 2013)

s1chris said:


> Hopefully some documents or photographs of these items will surface soon.
> 
> Cheers Chris


Check my post with the links I posted a little ways back in this thread...there's a couple that have images of the set


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## s1chris (Oct 16, 2013)

I'm bad. I didn't check the Forbes link. 
That's excellent.

I am going to make a repro of this. 
I can feel a probing email to Waddingtons (or whoever owns it now) coming on for further info. 

Interestingly the escape map looks to be the same size as the readily available ones on auction sites. 

Cheers Chris


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## pattle (Oct 16, 2013)

It is a good job that these pow's weren't sent the cd rom version of monopoly.


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## s1chris (Oct 17, 2013)

Or they should have used the game "Risk" instead. At least the board and playing pieces would have doubled up as a strategic planning board.


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## Airframes (Oct 17, 2013)

Maybe a tools catalogue from B&Q would have been useful .....................


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