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Remembered Today:

WWI Greek bayonets


trajan

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A Greek soldier of Balkan Wars 1912/1913. 

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Hi Zoulouwar

In your interesting greek group, the second FM (LMG ) on the right seems to be  a Madsen model.

Regards

Gabelou

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A lot of wonderful photos from that book there D’ , thanks, the last page shows many soldiers with soft leather or canvas pouches along with a variety of rifles and bayonets 

 

this page, the soldier, a studio pic with I think a Y1903/14 with the shorter bayonet. The bandoleer kind of looks Turkish, and I no recognize the ammo pouches, could be German 1890’s. Or could either of them be Greek??

 

Your fan’s out here are praying for you. Your accident must have been very bad, I hope there will be no permanent injury. We all hope for a full recovery for you. Take care😊

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7 hours ago, Gabelou said:

Hi Zoulouwar

In your interesting greek group, the second FM (LMG ) on the right seems to be  a Madsen model.

Regards

Gabelou

Very correct observation!!!!! 

Regards

D. 

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2 hours ago, Steve1871 said:

A lot of wonderful photos from that book there D’ , thanks, the last page shows many soldiers with soft leather or canvas pouches along with a variety of rifles and bayonets 

 

this page, the soldier, a studio pic with I think a Y1903/14 with the shorter bayonet. The bandoleer kind of looks Turkish, and I no recognize the ammo pouches, could be German 1890’s. Or could either of them be Greek??

 

Your fan’s out here are praying for you. Your accident must have been very bad, I hope there will be no permanent injury. We all hope for a full recovery for you. Take care😊

Thank you doctor Steve, 

Yes indeed, it was an awful accident. 

I am lucky to be alive!!! 

Now I am recovering well enough, thank you all for your blesses on me. 

The pouches were manufactured in Greece, but the model was almost the same in all European countries which had influence from Germany or Austria, as Greece (because of the King, cousin of Kaizer). 

Bandoleer is a Greek one also. 

Regards

D. 

 

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Two Greek soldiers outside Serres (near Thessaloniki) during 1937. 

An excellent photograph!!! 

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The previous one picture should be M1903 rifle with bayonet as Balkan wars so pre 1914. interesting is the revolver on his belt? civilian? 

The last picture looks like M1874/03 conversion Gras bayonets.

Edited by AndyBsk
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  • 6 months later...

Some more interesting photos from Greek soldiers eith greek bayonets, for my friend Julian. 

Together my latest find, a rare convertion of the short model greek bayonet. 

Regards

D. 

 

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Nice period photos, the bayonet looks like postwar shortening or better remove of barell ring- to combat knife sidearm?, anyway the scabbard is probably german WW2 for S84/98 when side screw there.

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Andy

This is the most rare convertion of the short model greek bayonets, 

Here is a photo with all the types of short model greek bayonets, the 1st one is this type of convertion (remove of barrel ring), extremely rare to find. 

This convertion made during the invasion in Minor Asia, on 1919.

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Nice collection of M1903 Man.Schoenaur bayonets, for me little questionable what for where this used? as in Bulgaria similar farmer conversion could be done too, reported from my Bulgarian friend, this bayonet is not attachable on rifle, so could be done only as sidearm, anyway the complet with german scabbard of WW2 period could speak for other source?or the piece was there replaced?

The bayonet on the upper position have changed grips and the scabbard is austrian proofed M95?

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3 hours ago, AndyBsk said:

Nice collection of M1903 Man.Schoenaur bayonets, for me little questionable what for where this used? as in Bulgaria similar farmer conversion could be done too, reported from my Bulgarian friend, this bayonet is not attachable on rifle, so could be done only as sidearm, anyway the complet with german scabbard of WW2 period could speak for other source?or the piece was there replaced?

The bayonet on the upper position have changed grips and the scabbard is austrian proofed M95?

Andy,

This convertion had no use as bayonet, because after the removal of the barrel ring, the only use was as a knive or sidearm, as you pointed correctly

They kept the Saint George stamp, and all the marks on the blade, no erase of them. 

The grips at the speciment on the group photo, are original and the scabbard has the cross circled and the OEWG marking. 

Rgards

D. 

 

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You are the expert on greek bayonets, anyway similar removed barells existed in Bulgaria there and are not official items.

This could be used as sidearm. From the picture is clear there were changed grips, note the rough shape and wrong material of wood, same as eagle proof on scabbard hook.

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As mentioned the first presented piece here has a german WW2 scabbard, which is not proper when the rework was done 1919. any details of the scabbard stamping?

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35 minutes ago, AndyBsk said:

You are the expert on greek bayonets, anyway similar removed barells existed in Bulgaria there and are not official items.

This could be used as sidearm. From the picture is clear there were changed grips, note the rough shape and wrong material of wood, same as eagle proof on scabbard hook.

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Unfortunately this collection is not mine so i cannot get the speciments on my hands, just transfering what the owner told me. 

I believe you are correct about grips. 

The mark on the scabbard told me is a cirkled cross. 

I have asked for a photo. 

Regards

D. 

21 minutes ago, AndyBsk said:

As mentioned the first presented piece here has a german WW2 scabbard, which is not proper when the rework was done 1919. any details of the scabbard stamping?

No stamping on this scabbard

Edited by zuluwar2006
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Andy, you wrote "similar removed barells existed in Bulgaria there and are not official items". 

Yes, during greek civil war on 1945 until 1949, the leftists used the bayonets as knives, removing the barrel ring from the bayonet. 

The leftists stationed in bulgaria, so it is a logic explanation. 

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The cross in circle looks different, i have similar scabbard on bulgarian reworked greek M03. The shortages in Bulgaria were done prior WW2 mostly.

Second one bayonet from top is too bulgarian rework of M03, most of the presented scabbards there are austrian. So could be in Greece post 1917/8.

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Steyr did  manufacture Mle 1874 Gras Rifles for Greece and France later supplied them with large numbers of surplus Mle 74 Gras rifles and carbines. Steyr also manufactured bayonets for both Greece and France.
The bayonets manufactured by Steyr for France are marked "Usine des Steyr" on the blade spine while the bayonets manufactured for the Greek contract are marked "Waffenfabrik Steyr" followed by the year of manufacture.

The bayonet in my photos, is from the Greek contract. It has the Greek letters AΠ (Αεροπορια Πολεμικη) for Military Air Force. 

The Mle 1874 Gras was adopted by Greece in 1877 and was in active service until 1907. They were issued to non-combat troops during WWI and the Greco-Turkish War in 1919-22.
Many of the Mle 1874 Gras bayonets were later converted for issue with the M1903 and M1903/14 Mannlicher-Schoenauer Rifles and Carbines, one of which can be seen in the photos.

On this bayonet we can see the capital greek letters ΓΕΑ for General Headquarters of Airforce (Γενικο Επιτελειο Αεροποριας). 

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Very nice greek Gras Bayonets, the second one adapted to M03/14 rifle. Thanks for strange units stamp designation.

in Steyr archives reports more as 150000 Gras M1874 rifles delivered to Greece from Steyr in period 1877-86.

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Very nice bayonets there, D, including the Y 1903's owned by your friend.  And good to see you up and about again! Take care and stay healthy!

Julian

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  • 6 months later...

A very rare photograph of an NCO, with summer tunic. 

The black cotton on the sleeve, is because of the assassination of King George the 1st, on Thessaloniki on 18.3.1913.

On his belt a short manlicher bayonet. 

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Excellent photograph from Greek Evzones (tsolias) with manlicher bayonets, short model, fixed on rifles. 

 

Another photo from a tsolias NC officer (corporal) with manlicher short model. He wear the winter official traditional uniform. 

 

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Edited by zuluwar2006
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Very nice photo of greek soldiers, mainly the first one with M03 Mannlicher Schoenauer bajonet, interestingly the frog is austrian type frog copy enhanced by rivets.

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Very nice photos from Greek soldiers during the Minor Asia campaign. Look the fixed bayonets during attack. 

Notice also and the evzonas (tsolias) trumpeter and the bayonets they wear. 

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Looks like italian version M03/14/27 with steel scabbard.

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