Japanese officer's wrist compass recovered after the capture of Mandalay, March 1945

The use of wrist compasses greatly helped the Japanese in their initial offensives. By using compass bearings and maps, they were able to use the featureless jungle to their advantage. Travelling light and moving fast through the undergrowth, the Japanese repeatedly outflanked and cut off retreating British and Indian units, who were trained to keep to roads and to protect their lines of communication.

From the Burma Campaign Collection of R Moffatt.