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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Royal Air Force marked bayonets


trajan

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JMB especially, but all others, many many thanks for keeping the home fires burning on this one! My days have been too çok kalabalık with teaching and other matters the past few weeks... On this matter of storage of rifles for parades, etc.. A recently retired UK Logs. Colonel told me a year ago that the UK Embassy in Iraq or Iran had, or used to have, while he was there as a miitary attache a stack of SMLE's in store for special occasions. I'll try and pin him down to see if these had chromed bayonets or not. 

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Trajan,

 

That is interesting about the SMLE’s—-military attaches are usually of relatively senior rank (Lt.Col) so that would place this probably post-2000.

 

Regards,

JMB

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10 hours ago, JMB1943 said:

Trajan,

 

That is interesting about the SMLE’s—-military attaches are usually of relatively senior rank (Lt.Col) so that would place this probably post-2000.

 

Regards,

JMB

 

He was involved in setting up the 'largest bang' in Iraq, destroying Iraqi munitions after, I assume, the big campaign there, so I am assuming he saw these in Iraq. He told me the SMLE's were in excellent condition and they wanted to test fire them but couldn't find the right ammunition! He's back in the UK now, his Turkish wife stranded here, but I'll see if I can find out more.

 

Julian

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  • 2 weeks later...

Another that I can’t see on the list has just popped up on a dealers site, a Wilkinson-date unreadable, 1B 8238, 149 stamped to the rear of the pommel.

listed here, someone may be able to decipher some of the remaining markings....https://www.brittonatwar.com/en-GB/all-available-items-as-listed/a-good-inter-war-raf-marked-07-pattern-bayonet/prod_12018#.X85d5i3fWhA

 

 

Dave.

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Dave,

 

Well-spotted, that man!

Give that man an extra ration of rum and a promotion....

With all Best wishes for Christmas & the New Year.

 

Stay safe,

JMB

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41 minutes ago, JMB1943 said:

Dave,

 

Well-spotted, that man!

Give that man an extra ration of rum and a promotion....

With all Best wishes for Christmas & the New Year.

 

Stay safe,

JMB

Thank you sir,

I have awarded myself extra weekend wine👍😀.

 

Best wishes to you and yours,

 

Dave.

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On 07/12/2020 at 20:07, Dave66 said:

Another that I can’t see on the list has just popped up on a dealers site, a Wilkinson-date unreadable, 1B 8238, 149 stamped to the rear of the pommel.

listed here, someone may be able to decipher some of the remaining markings....https://www.brittonatwar.com/en-GB/all-available-items-as-listed/a-good-inter-war-raf-marked-07-pattern-bayonet/prod_12018#.X85d5i3fWhA

 

On 07/12/2020 at 22:55, JMB1943 said:

Well-spotted, that man!

Give that man an extra ration of rum and a promotion....

With all Best wishes for Christmas & the New Year.

 

On 07/12/2020 at 23:39, Dave66 said:

I have awarded myself extra weekend wine👍😀.

Best wishes to you and yours,

 

 

Very well-spotted indeed! A WILKINSON PALL MALL to boot which meams 1917-1918! Extra (very good red) wine is certainly approved of! And the bestest of wishes as Christmas approaches...

 

Julian

Edited by trajan
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  • 1 month later...

I was looking for that photograph of an RAF man on duty with rifle and bayonet but it seems to have disappeared from the link - this interwar one is on the web: it is post 1927 as the webbing is RAF blue-grey. https://www.alamy.com/raf-airman-inter-war-image156875459.html Lawrence, he of Arabia, in The Mint, moans about those putees... 

 

(Yes JMB, back on-line myself and hopefully something for you tomorrow!)

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Trajan,

 

Clearly a SMLE, No. 1, Mk III rifle to mount the Patt. 07 bayonet, although I can’t see that.

A very nice photo, by the way!

But how can you pick up blue-grey webbing from a b/w photo?

 

Regards,

JMB

 

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1 minute ago, JMB1943 said:

Trajan,

 

Clearly a SMLE, No. 1, Mk III rifle to mount the Patt. 07 bayonet, although I can’t see that.

A very nice photo, by the way!

But how can you pick up blue-grey webbing from a b/w photo?

 

Regards,

JMB

 

 

I am relying on the fact there is no colour contrast between webbing and uniform - what do reckon? 

 

Best, 

 

Julian

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Dr. Watson sends his compliments!

 

Regards,

JMB

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  • 3 months later...

Dread Pony,

 

Welcome to the Forum!

Thanks for this new one, and yes a Wilkinson.

 

Regards,

JMB 

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Yes, welcome to the GForum, dread pony!

 

Ahem, JMB, An 11/18 WILKINSON / PALL MALL actually...:o

 

The red paint on the crossguard - doesn't that mean it was for drill purposes only? I am thinking that rifles for drill purposes were marked with a red band weren't they?

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Trajan,

 

Very possibly DP only, as the "muzzle" ring seems to have been bent backwards.

 

Regards,

JMB

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Indeed - I missed that...

 

Best, Julian 

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Thank you, sir!

 

That is indeed a new one.

 

Regards,

JMB

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Ditto, thanks!

JB

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just spotted a new one…well, I think so!!?,

R.A.F. 1 over 2069

on a 11/18 vickers, well polished so parade bayonet. In a ww2 M58 coded scabbard.

in the description they have it as issued to No1 Squadron RAF Regiment….rather expensive to boot.

https://www.jcmilitaria.com/new_stock.asp?Start=24&Offset=12

Edit……3rd item down on page.

 

All the best,

 

Dave

Edited by Dave66
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Dave,

 

Well spotted AGAIN, that man!

Yes, another new one for the books. As you say, well polished (and overall in pretty good shape) and expensive.

In the 5 yrs that I have been interested in bayonets, prices seem to have risen drastically.

A regular P.'07 with scabbard in average condition was about $75-100 in the USA on Ebay; now they are routinely listed at around $200+, and this is only the run of the mill, average condition pairing. Anything special or fancy (HQ) now starts at $450-500 !!!----this is way above my pay grade.

 

Regards,

JMB

 

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6 hours ago, JMB1943 said:

Dave,

 

Well spotted AGAIN, that man!

Yes, another new one for the books. As you say, well polished (and overall in pretty good shape) and expensive.

In the 5 yrs that I have been interested in bayonets, prices seem to have risen drastically.

A regular P.'07 with scabbard in average condition was about $75-100 in the USA on Ebay; now they are routinely listed at around $200+, and this is only the run of the mill, average condition pairing. Anything special or fancy (HQ) now starts at $450-500 !!!----this is way above my pay grade.

 

Regards,

JMB

 

Way above my pay grade also,

I occasionally browse the above site purely out of interest or boredom!, I must admit if I could sell mine for the sort of prices they advertise I would be an exceptionally happy chappy!, 

 

 

Best wishes from over the pond.

 

Dave.

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On 02/05/2021 at 19:25, JMB1943 said:

Trajan,

 

Very possibly DP only, as the "muzzle" ring seems to have been bent backwards.

 

Regards,

JMB

How does the bent muzzle ring make it more suitable for drill? Drill still involves fixing and unfixing? Might have been used to lever something!

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To quote the advert in full (absolutly NO connection to the seller!), to save searching all the way through - 

 

**RAREST MANUFACTURER**WW1 1918 Dated British WD Vickers Crayford 1907 Pattern Bayonet Regiment Marked ‘R.A.F. 1’ (No.1 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment) & Scabbard With Webbing Frog. Sn 18282 18282
This is an original WW1 dated example of the Pattern 1907 British bayonet for the SMLE rifle complete with leather scabbard & webbing frog. The ricasso of the bayonet is stamped with Kings Crown ‘GR’ (George Rex) along with ‘1907’ (pattern) together with date ’11 18’ (November 1918) and ‘V within C’ mark (The trademark of Vickers’ Factory at Crayford, Kent) above the name ‘Vickers’. Vickers is the rarest British 1907 Pattern Bayonet manufacturer. They produced only 10,000 in total (see pages 191-194 of Skennerton's book British & Commonwealth Bayonets). The reverse is stamped with WD inspection marks. The blade has just light staining consistent with age and its slab wood grips are undamaged and perfectly secure. The pommel has the push button release which operates smoothly and larger oil hole unique to Vickers bayonets. The pommel is Regiment marked RAF 1’ (No.1 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment) & weapon number ‘2069’.  (Stress added) It is complete with an original steel mounted leather scabbard. The leather is impressed M/58. All leather & stitching of the scabbard are intact. The scabbard is fitted with webbing frog. The price for this excellent WW1 dated bayonet by the rarest of manufacturers complete with scabbard & frog includes UK delivery. Sn 18282
£495

 

If SWMBO saw these prices then I think I'd loose pretty quickly all my HQ's as well as my 2 RAF ones! School fees are due in two months. Note, naturally, a correction is required. It is NOT marked for the No.1 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment which used the No.4 rifle.

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