Player's Navy Cut Cigarettes tin (medium), 50 made by the British American Tobacco Compay - Bristol, London ... with bullet hole in it. The tin belonged to Captain William McIntosh, 72nd Battalion, CEF. The story is that he went "over the top" in WW I with a message book in one pocket of his tunic and cigarette tin in other pocket. A German machine gun began shooting at him. He was between the bullets with one bullet passing through each pocket and its contents. Lt (later Major) William George McIntosh, 72nd (Seaforth) Battalion, CEF arrived in France on 13 August, 1916 and was wounded on 23 July, 1918. He was transferred to England on 8 January, 1919. On 28 June 1917 he fought well at La Coulette where he was a company commander. Navy Cut Tobacco is a brand of cigarettes manufactured by the Imperial Tobacco Group formerly John Player & Sons in Nottingham, England. The brand became Player's Navy Cut. They were particularly popular in England and Germany in the late 19th century and early part of the 20th century. The packet has the distinctive logo of a smoking sailor in a 'Navy Cut' cap. The image of the sailor was known as "Hero" because of the name on his hat band. It was first used in 1883 and the lifebuoy was added five years later. The sailor images were an 1891 artists concept registered for Chester-based William Parkins and Co for their "Jack Glory" brand. Behind the sailor are two ships. The one on the left is thought to be HMS Britannia and the one on the right HMS Dreadnought or maybe HMS Hero. The phrase "Navy Cut" is according to Player's adverts to originate from the habit of sailors taking a mixture of tobacco leaves and binding them with string or twine. The tobacco would then mature under pressure and the sailor could then dispense the tobacco by slicing off a "cut". The cigarettes were available in tins and the original cardboard container was a four sided tray of cigarettes that slid out from a covering like a classic matchbox. Player's Medium Navy Cut was the most popular by far of the three Navy Cut brands (there was also Mild and Gold Leaf).