Kodak Camera in Water Bottle

This water bottle is remarkable in that it was used to conceal Curly Weakley’s Kodak camera whilst in a Prisoner of War (POW) Camp in Italy during World War II.

Gunner Wilfred (Curly) Weakley had this 35mm Kodak Retina camera complete with brown leather case and carrying strap with him when he was taken prisoner at Sidi Rezegh during the relief of Tobruk in November 1941. He managed to hide the camera from the enemy during capture by strapping it to the inside of his leg.

Whilst prisoner at camp No. 57 at Udene near Trieste in Italy he made a fake water bottle to hide his camera. The bottle had a small compartment with cork stopper to hold water at the top, and a secret compartment underneath with removable bottom where the camera was concealed.