Universal Geneve Military watch

This is one of the most interesting yet obscure watches I have in my collection. I found this watch on eBay, and through pure luck I discovered the little emblem on the dial. I thought I had seen that before….

And I had. THis watch is mentioned in Z.M. Wesoloski’s book "Military Timiepieces" (page 68 for those who want to read about it). According to Wesolowski, this watch was issued to the Dutch military in 1939, when Germany had invaded Poland, and the Dutch government feared all-out war. And they were right. On the 10^th of May, the German troops invaded the Netherlands and bombed Rotterdam, and on the 15^th of May, the Dutch government capitulated and a 5 year occupation of the country began.

What makes this watch even more interesting is that I bought it off a German seller on eBay, which implies something peculiar Germany had occupied the Netherlands for 5 years, and THIS watch comes from Germany. Is this watch part of the looting that has taken place during dose dark years? Was it taken from a Dutch prisonner of war? I will probably never know, but it surely makes it an interesting watch, that finally has found it’s way home.