Unsigned - A military issue open faced pocket watch, circa 1939, the sterile black dial, 41mm diameter with (originally) luminous Arabic numerals and hands, subsidiary seconds register at 6 o'clock and chemin de fer chapter ring, 15 jewel mechanical crown wind movement decorated with 'The Côtes de Genève' with onion shaped winder, case, 51mm diameter, verso snap on, engraved with pheon mark and G.S.T.P. 108001 After the First World War, the British Armed Forces were slow to modernise, and when war looked likely again in 1939, the War Department found themselves ill prepared. Generic pocket watches which met MOD standards were hurriedly purchased by the procurement office from a number of Swiss makers and commercial retailers in anticipation of future shortages. Most of these timepieces were regarded as ‘General Service’ timepieces as they had no particular specialist features and were classified as ‘Temporary (or 'Trade') Pattern’ (GSTP) until more appropriate or specialist watches became available to the army in sufficient numbers. The additional number engraved under the letters referred to the issue number of the timepiece, which would have been noted in the paybook of the soldier to whom it was issued.