Silver + Brass 18 HALF THIMBLE Royal Air Force RAF Hussif Housewife kit WWII

Description

You are buying ONE (1) brass half thimble marked 18, probably silver plated....
This thimble was acquired in Belgium  but probably is English in origin.
This large thimble is most likely used by pilots involved in the Royal Air Force as part of an official issue housewife (hussif) kit ....very unusual...
The last pics shows an all brass half thimble acquired as part of the RAF hussif (housewife) kit in 1953 and another from the 1930s.
Perhaps the all brass ones are for sergeant flying officer pilots and the silver plated ones are for higher ranks of flying officers.