Can Anyone Advise me on what this item is please?

[Lionheart]

I would appreciate advice on what this item is please.

It comes in a neat box, Is marked on side: MARK 11 D D 1943 and is approximately 15 cm long.

I purchased it with a lot of items here in Australia so it may well be Australian or British, many items were certainly used by bboth services for sure.

Thank you in anticipation.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Lionheart

[Owen]

Hello,

Not sure how much help this will be as it is not from knowledge....just a bit of 'guess & google', but I have found two possible references to your code numbering. Being an ex military man, your code looked familiar, in the style written, to many such military hardware equipment codes I have seen (and it is usual to put the date suffix on such equipment codes). The '11' is likely to be 'II' ...which would make it a 'Mark 2 DD': Starting with this assumption ("Mark II DD") as a google search term, the following results look like possibles....

1. That it might refer to something to do with ships gunnery on Sumner Class Type DD Destroyers (at least that's what I understand it to be about)...the following link should take you to Page 15 of an online book preview ('The Ships and Aircraft of the United States Fleet' edited by James C.Fahey)... have a look and maybe you can work it out! (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UYqBadIbCuAC&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=%22Mark+II+DD%22&source=bl&ots=M6EOgTFccd&sig=XpBEo6rGAn23MpDDy-AkGvulS2Q&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ChOFUNH_BOG50QX6uIG4BQ&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Mark%20II%20DD%22&f=false),

So, perhaps this was some sort of elevation/calibration/directional needle?

2. That the DD stands for 'Donald Duck'...now, before you commit me to the funny farm, I will explain! According to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DD_tank), 'DD' or Duplex Drive tanks (nicknamed Donald Duck tanks) were a type of swimming tank developed by the British during WWII. Have a look at the link for more on this...seems such tank variants (M4 Sherman variant) were used during and after the D-day landings...

So, again, perhaps this was some sort of flotation/leveling/calibration/directional needle?

I may be way off mark with these suggestions, but at least you have something to investigate a bit further (or not!)...good luck...

[Hugh]

Quote

1. That it might refer to something to do with ships gunnery on Sumner Class Type DD Destroyers (at least that's what I understand it to be about)...the following link should take you to Page 15 of an online book preview ('The Ships and Aircraft of the United States Fleet' edited by James C.Fahey)... have a look and maybe you can work it out! (http://books.google.... II DD"&f=false),

Unquote

Interesting and clever hypothesis, but...I served as gunnery officer on a Sumner class destroyer back in the dim, distant past, and I have no recollection of such a device. That doesn't categorically rule it out, but I'm dubious. If it were somehow related to train or elevation of a gun, you'd need a wider angular range.

Best,

Hugh

[Lionheart]

I should have said the D D has the Defence arrow inserted between them...and the device has a small ball bearing which when pressed fixes the arms in a set position.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Lionheart

[Mervyn Mitton]

DD and the Broad Arrow mark it as being supplied by the Board of Ordnance. I have seen these before - but usually

from WW1 - I think it is a clinometer - used for measuring the angle from the horizon. I hope someone can confirm ? Mervyn

[Lionheart]

Thanks for that MM, it provides me with further direction in which to investigate. Your input is appreciated.

[Lionheart]

Thanks for your input everyone I have found out this item is a Surveyors Table Top Level.

Cheers

[Mervyn Mitton]

All that input and it turns out to be for straightening a table - Gee................