Signal pistol. This pistol is made entirely of steel with a wooden plaque applied to each side of the butt to form a grip. The action is contained in a rectangular steel box from the underside of which the unguarded trigger protrudes. The barrel hinges forward of the action at the breech and is locked in the firing position by a spring loaded dog catch. The trigger is moved to the rear against a coil spring which is located by the sides of the enclosing box. At the rear most point, having cocked the action, further movement ceases and the firing pin is impelled forward. The coil spring then returns the trigger to its place when it is released. The barrel is a plain steel tube, smooth bore. The calibre is approximately 1in. The pistol is inscribed 'AN' (conjoined), 'W18 No32', with a crown over M. The nationality of this signal pistol is not known. The crown is too small to provide much of a guide but the nearest pattern is probably the Imperial German Crown.