RAF ’Escape’ Boots: Sneaking Past the Enemy

’Escape Boots’ were issued to RAF and Allied aircrews starting in 1943 in order to make escape and evasion easier if shot down over enemy territory. The boots contained a small knife that could be used to cut away the top section, creating a pair of ordinary-looking civilian shoes that were both more comfortable and less conspicuous than bulky flying boots. They were one of many ingenious escape and evasion devices created during the war by MI9 agent Christopher Clayton “Clutty“ Hutton, one of the inspirations for ’Q’ in the James Bond novels.