Does anyone know how this cigarette case got a bullet hole? Did it save someone’s life?

These questions are being asked at the Manx Aviation and Military Museum of the case which was donated to them as part of a collection of military items from a deceased estate.

’What makes it so different is the damage which it has suffered; damage which can only have been made by a bullet which has left a ragged hole in the front but has been stopped by the back of the case, leaving a sharp dent,’ said Ivor Ramsden, director of the museum.

’We hear and read stories about soldiers’ lives being saved by things like this but I’ve never actually handled one before.

’The case is engraved with the initials T. H. or H. T. but we have no idea who he was. It is also engraved "Xmas 1918", which means it isn’t a First World War item, so when did the damage occur?

’We can only guess. Was it damaged in an incident between the wars?

’Was it carried by a soldier in the Second World War?

’If so he would have been comparatively old if he’d had the case since 1918, or maybe he’d got it from somebody else.

’We can’t be certain that this is a Manx item but almost everything else in the collection was of Manx origin so I am hoping that somebody can tell us about it.’

Ivor explained: ’I have only found one story from the Second World War in the local newspapers about a cigarette case and that involved a man called Herbert Parsons from Ramsey.

’In September 1944 Herbert was in the army during the allied advance through Holland.

’An enemy machine-gun bullet went through his arm but it was stopped from entering his chest by his cigarette case.

’Thankfully he recovered from his wounds but without the cigarette case it might have been a different story. Is this Herbert’s case?

’Maybe there are members of his family around who can shed some light.

Or maybe someone can ide’ntify the initials and maybe even tell us the story of this intriguing object.’

The cigarette case is on display at the museum at Ronaldsway. It is isopen at weekends during the winter from 10am to 4.30pm.