Comoy Everyman Brass No 5 Trench Lighter

[Khandro]

I just found one of these literally, in the back of a draw, and I happen to have a can of lighter fuel which I use for other purposes. I filled it with petrol & it lit up at the first stroke once again, for the first time in decades, deep joy!
I see they are being offered on ebay for prices up to 50 quid - amazing!
Anyone got one, or remember them? They were supposed to have been favourites with soldiers in WW1, hence their 'Trench' name

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234712540734?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&;mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&;campid=5338722076&customid=&toolid=10050

[Buenchico]

This might be of interest to you, Khandro:
https://coolmaterial.com/feature/trench-lighter-history/

[retrocop]

I have one or two Trench lighters and one is, as shown, in the e-bay ad.
I am very suspicious of the authenticity though in the e-bay posting..
'A genuine brass vintage trench lighter made in Japan' I don't really believe so especially if we are talking WW1 Trench lighters. At least the seller was reasonably honest and disclosed its country of manufacture.

[Khandro]

Yes I smiled at that. Mine has nothing about Japan on it.
It's wonderfully low-tech, nothing to really go wrong, small, smooth & fits snugly in the corner of the pocket.
Could be used anywhere, in the war it could have been dipped into a jerry can of petrol to fill it.

[retrocop]

I'll try to look mine out and photograph them for you. One of them is square with no lid but has an exposed wheel and a hinged snuffer that comes down through the wind guard

[retrocop]

//Could be used anywhere, in the war it could have been dipped into a jerry can of petrol to fill it.//

It could of been I suppose but I am sure I read years ago that the G.I. issue 2nd WW era zippo lighter was designed just so it could be filled by a jerrican. Something to do with the spring loaded catch on the snap open/close lid

[retrocop]

Here is part of my collection.

https://ibb.co/PjBJbCr

The one on the left, similar to your example, is not actually a 'trench lighter'. It is marked on the bottom 'Victory May 1945 Made in England.' One must assume it was a commemoration lighter for the 2nd WW Victory in Europe. The one on the right with the hinged snuffer is a copy of an old Trench Lighter but is a stamped Sports on the bottom and is probably a more recent copy of the original
I have yet to see an original Trench made original made from .303 rounds. There are tons of copies around but not authentic.

[retrocop]

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Reverse my reference to left and right in the picture.