In the midst of war, when nations are locked in bitter conflict, cooperation seems unimaginable. Yet, history offers surprising instances where enemies, driven by necessity, momentarily set aside their hostilities to strike a deal. Such was the case during World War I, when Britain and Germany—despite being locked in a devastating battle—engaged in an unlikely exchange of two very vital resources—glass and rubber.
The First World War was the first major conflict where optical equipment like binoculars and rangefinders became essential for targeting and artillery placement. Previous wars had been fought at closer range, and even artillery had limited reach. However, advancements in firepower and accuracy over the preceding half-century extended target ranges to several kilometres. To accurately strike at such distances, the new guns required sophisticated optical rangefinders, field glasses, and other precision instruments. Optical lenses were also vital for aerial cameras, periscopes, and telescopic rifle sights.
Before the war, Britain relied heavily on Germany for its supply of optical glass, as Germany was the world leader in precision glass manufacturing. Carl Zeiss AG, a renowned company based in Jena, was at the forefront of this industry. Approximately 60 percent of Britain's optical glass came from Carl Zeiss, with another 30 percent sourced from France. Only 10 percent was produced domestically by the British firm Chance Brothers. When the war severed access to German imports, the burden of supplying optical glass to the British Army fell squarely on Chance Brothers. France, too focused on its own war needs, diverted its glass production for internal use, leaving little for export to Britain.
The British Army's rapid expansion created an overwhelming demand for optical instruments, far exceeding peacetime levels. Chance Brothers initially reassured the War Office that they could meet the increased demand. While some progress was made, particularly in the production of telescopic sights, British manufacturers lacked the machinery and technical expertise needed to produce larger lenses in sufficient quantities. Another British firm, Barr & Stroud, contributed to the effort, but by the spring of 1915, it became clear that domestic production was woefully inadequate to meet the army's needs.
The British government attempted to import optical instruments from the United States, but these shipments were generally small and inadequate. Bausch & Lomb, an American manufacturer, provided binoculars, though their design was found to be unsatisfactory. In desperation, the British government appealed to the public for private donations of binoculars and field glasses, with even King George V and Queen Mary contributing their own pairs. However, this effort barely scratched the surface of the army's needs.
Carl Zeiss binocular trench periscope issued to the British army during World War 1. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
The crisis reached such dire proportion that a strange plan had to be hatched. The British Ministry of Munitions secretly dispatched an agent to neutral Switzerland with a mission to negotiate the purchase of optical glass from Germany. But instead of offering money, Britain proposed a different exchange: rubber. While the British faced a critical shortage of glass, Germany was grappling with an equally severe shortage of natural rubber, a vital material for producing communication cables, truck tires, and fan belts for engines. Germany had attempted to develop synthetic rubber, but the technology was in its infancy, producing limited quantities of an inferior product. By early 1915, the rubber shortage had become so critical that the German army considered running supply trucks on steel tires, which would have caused extensive damage to the road network.
Unlike Germany, Britain and France had access to vast supplies of natural rubber from their colonies in Africa and Asia. So a strange deal was made: Germany would secretly supply Britain with high-quality optical equipment for use on the battlefield, and in exchange, Britain would provide Germany with much-needed rubber. To avoid international scandal, the goods would be exchanged covertly through Swiss intermediaries.
Read how Peter Tordenskjold tried to strike a deal with the enemy and failed.
The German War Office responded promptly, offering to supply between 8,000 and 10,000 binoculars for infantry officers and an equal number for artillery officers immediately. They also promised a monthly delivery of 10,000 to 15,000 binoculars of each type. Additionally, Germany could provide 10,000 to 12,000 lower-grade binoculars for non-commissioned officers right away, with a continued supply of 5,000 pairs per month. Beyond binoculars, they offered to deliver 5,000 to 10,000 gun sights monthly, as well as as many rangefinders as Britain required. To meet this demand, the Germans were prepared to release skilled workers from military service back to the Carl Zeiss factory in Jena. As a guarantee of quality, rather than sending samples, Germany suggested that Britain inspect optical equipment captured from German forces in the field.
In return, Britain agreed to ship natural rubber from its colonies in Africa and Southeast Asia to Switzerland, where it would then be transported across the German border.
Pre-war Zeiss optical workshop. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
What happened next remains unclear. Some historians claim to have seen British archival materials showing that around 30,000 pairs of binoculars were exchanged during the first month of the agreement, though no records exist of further shipments or of rubber being supplied to Germany. Others argue that the deal never materialized and that no exchanges were made.
Eventually, the British government recognized that dealing with the enemy was not a sustainable solution and that self-sufficiency was the only viable path forward. In June 1915, the Optical Munitions and Glass Department, part of the newly established Ministry of Munitions, made a significant offer to Chance Brothers. The proposal included government funding and guaranteed future orders, enabling the company to expand its factory and acquire new machinery. This partnership proved to be a resounding success. By November 1916, Chance Brothers was producing 32,000 kilograms of optical glass annually, and this figure increased to 42,000 kilograms by 1918. Along the way, British scientists made several technological breakthroughs, improving on existing German patents.
While Britain never achieved full self-sufficiency in optical glass, and some raw materials remained scarce throughout the war, a robust, high-quality optical industry had been built from the ground up by the time the conflict ended. This newly developed sector played a vital role in supporting Britain's war effort and helped to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.
However, with the war's end came a sharp drop in demand, and the fledgling optical glass industry faced a struggle to survive. Despite the downturn, Chance Brothers endured and was once again called into service during World War II, this time manufacturing cathode-ray tubes for early radar systems. The company continued to operate until the 1980s, marking its place in British industrial history.
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Comments
Post a Comment