Military Wristwatches

[Mrs Dutch]

We have come across a Leonidas wristwatch with the initials ATP and the "crowsfoot" on the reverse. Are the numbers on there someones Army Number and if so how can we go about tracing it? Many thanks.

[Peter Goodey]

Are the numbers on there someone's Army Number?

I believe the number on the back is the serial number of the watch, not a service number.

[thewideeyedowl]

Hi Mrs Dutch and a very warm welcome to BritGen...

ATP stands for 'Army Trade Pattern', so the number at the back is likely to refer to that rather than to the serviceman who wore it.

There is an interesting piece here about military wristwatches, from 1870 onwards: https://www.royalsignals.org.uk/photos/watch.htm. It is actually an article reproduced from a 1995 journal of the British Horological Institute. (The current BHI website isn't particularly helpful...)

If you run an internet search for (Military wristwatch AND ATP and Leonidas), you will be able to find a lot more info and a lot of pictures (and prices on eBay!); I also noticed a discussion about ATP watches on an American forum.

A bit of delving should bring up a lot of info. Hope you'll let us know what you find out - and also post a photo of the watch, if that's possible.

Swooping off now.

Owl

[Mrs Dutch]

I hope that my reply together with scans of the watch have come through. If not I will endeavour to re-send later.
Many thanks,
Mrs Dutch