unidentified possible ww2 era torch

[wee]

Hello everybody, new member from Finland. Glad to join this respected forum.

I need your expertise. Can anybody recogzixe this old torch. I'm interested about the origin, manufacture and use by the axis forces. Most likely it's quite common piece of equipment and, but I didn't find any information from the web.



Most likely it has been used in the Finnish army. It's 9,5x6,5x2,5cm in size. It has stamped steel construction with two hinged covers. Lower takes the old-fashioned, flat and cumbersome 4,5V battery. THe upper cover has curved glass lens which covers the bulb. It's painted in green and the other flat side has the "SA" stamp inside the circle and "VUTB" stamped under it. The battery cover seems to have styled "AURI" (or something like that) stamp.





Any information is more than welcome. Thanks in advance.


And by the way, it still works.

[leibermuster]

I have the same light. It was sold to me as a wartime issue flashlight, but unfortunately no date stamp or mark. I belive it says turii but you may be correct. SA marked can only be military. Unfortunately mine has had the bulb burn out. If you know anyone who can get replacements for that domed bulb I would be very happy.

[Viktor]

What voltage Bulb did it have Comrade ?, if it was a 3.6V or less, they glow real nice but at the expense of their life hours.

[BRUNO FRANCK]

hello Wee

that is a good wartime finnisch pocketlight, it is made in the 1930 (1933)
the factory started in 1876 the owner was G.W.Sohlberg (GWS)
in the year 1916 they make large orders for the russian army ( handgranetes)
in the year 1933 the started to make pocketlights

the compagnie still still exists GWS

i gone see on internet to make contact with GWS

greetings bruno

[BRUNO FRANCK]

hello Wee

this is the e mail adres from the factory firstname.surname@gws.fi

i send 5 e mail but they came back, maybe you try

this is the factory http://www.gws.fi/

this was the e mail i send to the factory

Goodday



I have a question for you, i hope you can help me

I am a pocketlight collector from Belgium and I have a pocketlight and I think it is made in your factory under the name AURI

Please can you give me more information, the date of production, and what is the stamp

VUTB means



I hope you understand mine englisch it is not perfect



Please see the picture



I hope you can help me



Greetings from bruno ( Antwerp city,Belgium)


when you send an e mail put some pictures in the mail

greetings bruno

[Aktivisti]

Bruno is right - this is indeed a Auri-flashlight from GWS. And I thought it was a post-war DDR stuff...

As it is SA issue equipment made in Finland, I think VUTB might be a 4-5 letter materiel code as used in the 1940s-1950s with the Finnish Army signals and comms equipment:
V - Viesti (Signals)
U - a device class (R/P/S/Y) designation, "U" might be just "others" or "tools"
T - Taskulamppu (Flashlight)
B - Malli B (Model B)

[wee]

Bruno, Aktivisti, thanks for your awnsers.

Bulbs are hard to find. I'll be looking for the bulbs with screw attachement, but those are hard to find. I've already tried the standard, old fashioned flashlight spare bulbs with straight attachment, but those were little tricky. They fit and work with minor modifications, but the glass bulb itself is too tall to fit the compartment and the lens.

Bruno, especially for you. Without your help I woudn't be aware of the Finnish origin. The source for the information is more closer than I tought. GWS main office is few kilometers away from my front door.

If they won't take your emails, maybe I'll visit their office personally.

Although I found some additional information from the following website:

http://www.aikaeilinen.fi/11

GWS Ltd started to produce flashlights in the 1933 with their own name. In 1941 they introduced the AURI brand for the flashlights and expanded their production vastly (Operation Barbarossa started in June and Finnish continuation war in the early July -> Troops were in need of flashlights). They continued to produce these until the 1970s until the cheap, imported flashlights cut down their market share.

But maybe I'll visit the "headquarters" and ask for more information.

[BRUNO FRANCK]

hi Wee

collecting pocketlights is mine hobby, i have more than 100 pieces
when you have contact with the factory pleas lett me now

greetings bruno