jimmy9fingers1 Posted 18 May , 2015 Share Posted 18 May , 2015 Hi Everyone, I was wondering if anyone could possibly tell me anything about the markings on my M1898 bayonet The bayonet blade is just over 20" The cross guard is marked 56. R. 11. 2 (The R looks to be worn away at the top, otherwise I would have thought it was a K) The pommel has what looks like backward letter Q's with a small crown above them Ricasso is marked Solingen and the makers name looks like it started with a W (but is worn away) There is a small 06 on the top of the blade on the trounded shoulder section (I guess this could be the year of manufacture?) Sadly no scabbard with this, otherwise that may have given a few clues. Found it an interesting fuller on these bayonets as it isn't centered I have added the pommel , cross guard and blade shoulder pics (the rest were too big to load) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 18 May , 2015 Share Posted 18 May , 2015 ... I was wondering if anyone could possibly tell me anything about the markings on my M1898 bayonet ... A nice looking S.98 n.M (neue Muster) although usually described as n.A. (neue Art - new model) you have there! I'll add what I can... "56. R. 11. 2" expands to 56 Infanterie Regiment, 11 Kompanie, Waffe 2, so the regiment is Infanterie-Regiment Vogel von Falckenstein (7. Westfälisches) Nr. 56 - see (for a brief account): http://genwiki.genealogy.net/IR_56 The letters on the pommel and the one on the back of the blade spine are the inspector's marks, approving it for service use - they are Gothic letters with a crown above them... Solingen made and a W - so probably Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Co of Solingen W over the O6 - for Wilhelm II of Prussia (who controlled the Westfalian armies), and approved / inspected in 1906. It is indeed a rather worn one though! Trajan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy9fingers1 Posted 19 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 19 May , 2015 Thanks Trajan, Yes it's certainly a well worn example (the tips gone), It just caught my eye (something a little different to the British bayonets), thanks for confirming the age and the infantry information. I will check out the link you sent Ta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 19 May , 2015 Share Posted 19 May , 2015 Happy to help! Sad to hear about its condition, though... For what it is worth, as you may be interested, Carter's German Bayonets volume II, which covers known issues of the S.98 up to 1991, does not list any examples of this bayonet marked to the 56th Inf.Reg., although it does list marked one to the 56 Reserve Inf.Reg., also a W/06 but a sawback made by Alex. Coppel. BUT, he does list W/06 S.98's by W.K.C. marked for other Westfalen units, namely the 13th, 53rd, and 57th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscott Posted 19 May , 2015 Share Posted 19 May , 2015 I like the condition - it probably means that the bayonet saw some service. The markings are clear too, I don't think it qualifies as "well worn". Cheers, J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 19 May , 2015 Share Posted 19 May , 2015 I like the condition - it probably means that the bayonet saw some service. The markings are clear too, I don't think it qualifies as "well worn". Cheers, J Well, in all honesty, if I ever saw one even in this condition over here in Turkey I would snap it up! I have seen two only ever over here, both in good condition, with scabbards, both possibly Peruvian... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy9fingers1 Posted 20 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 20 May , 2015 Thanks again Trajan for your knowledge, Will look into that information, I was a little out of my depth with this bayonet, it's the only foreign one I've had (excluding American bayonets that have passed through my hands), and I'm very much a rookie enthusiast, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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