This is a First World War field compass made in 1915 by E. Koehn & Co. of Geneva, Switzerland (Pattern No. 20096). The compass is made of brass and has a glass window in the cover. The glass is cracked, likely from a sharp impact, showing that it was used in active service.

The compass is stored in a tan leather case with a buckle; the shoulder strap is missing. The front of the case is marked with the initials “J. M. B.” and “Lieut J M Bowman 48th Highlanders of Canada.” Inside the case, another name is written: “Liet. F. L. Clouse, 50th Batt’n Canadians.” This suggests the compass may have been shared, exchanged, or passed between officers during the war.

How a soldier used this compass

To use the compass, an officer would:

• Hold it flat in the palm of the hand
• Wait for the needle to settle and point north
• Turn the compass until the needle lined up with the north marking
• Read the direction needed to travel — for example, toward a road, a trench, or a landmark shown on a map

Officers used compasses like this to find their way across unfamiliar ground, especially when landmarks were hard to see or the battlefield looked the same in every direction.

Why it mattered

In the chaos of war — smoke, darkness, mud, and shell-damaged terrain — a small compass could make the difference between staying oriented and becoming lost. This compass is a reminder that even simple tools played an important role in helping soldiers move, lead, and survive.

This compass belonged to John Matthew Bowman, who served with the 48th Highlanders of Canada during the First World War.