WAR OF THE WATCH

In the absence of electronics, the wristwatch played a crucial role in World War Two

Historians can argue all day long about what won World War Two, but the one thing they all agree on is that without the massive expansion of US air power, things could have turned out very differently. And the wristwatch played a vital role, employing a neat little function that has since become commonplace.

In bombing raids precise timing is crucial and the Allies relied on clockwork to coordinate attacks. Even the best quality watches were not that accurate by today's standards, with precision of plus or minus 30 seconds a day. So pilots needed to synchronise timepieces before heading out, and this required a 'hacking' mechanism.