Australian Lithgow

[Mickjam]

Anybody on the forum looked at the Australian hooked quillion for sale at AU $ 4450.00 on ebay.

It looks like someone has taken an angle grinder to a otherwise rare bayonet.

 

Mick

[Dave66]

Mick,

Any chance of postin the link, I'd be interested to see it as I have a H.Q. That's had the blade ground down to less than half its thickness.

 

Dave.

 

[593jones]

I think that this is probably the one that Mick means: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/WW1-AUSTRALIAN-LITHGOW-1907-PATTERN-HOOKED-QUILLON-BAYONET-MARKED-LEATHER-FROG/232544327641?hash=item3624b8d7d9:g:EfgAAOSwPzhZ-ACb

 

I see what he means about the use of an angle grinder, particularly as the description says the blade has signs of sharpening and use, but is in very good condition, with no pitting or damage.  There might be some debate as to whether what has been done to the blade constitutes damage.  I know I wouldn't pay AU$4450 for it!

[Dave66]

12 minutes ago, 593jones said:

I think that this is probably the one that Mick means: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/WW1-AUSTRALIAN-LITHGOW-1907-PATTERN-HOOKED-QUILLON-BAYONET-MARKED-LEATHER-FROG/232544327641?hash=item3624b8d7d9:g:EfgAAOSwPzhZ-ACb

 

I see what he means about the use of an angle grinder, particularly as the description says the blade has signs of sharpening and use, but is in very good condition, with no pitting or damage.  There might be some debate as to whether what has been done to the blade constitutes damage.  I know I wouldn't pay AU$4450 for it!

Great as a display item in the scabbard, rare and in good condition other than the obvious...but somewhat expensive to say the least!

 

 

[Chasemuseum]

Probably not the same bayonet, as the vendor is based out of Perth rather than the east coast, but the armourer (BB), that supplied the weapons for the movie "Gallipoli" back in 1981, gave the filmmakers access to some of his personal collection, including a rather choice Lithgow hookie. Reportedly without his knowledge or agreement, it was used in a film sequence where a large grinding wheel was used to sharpen bayonets in a sequence that was meant to portray the troops preparing for the landing. I understand that he was a little unhappy when he found out what had happened.

 

Over the course of a century, strange things happen. In another hundred years, people will probably be picking over demilled rifles and shaking their heads, as to why did the idiots do this ?

 

Cheers

Ross 

[WhiteStarLine]

2 hours ago, Chasemuseum said:

 the armourer (BB), that supplied the weapons for the movie "Gallipoli" back in 1981, gave the filmmakers access to some of his personal collection, including a rather choice Lithgow hookie.

 

I know I am hijacking this, but I find that interesting Ross.  The long trench for the filming of the Nek scene was so deep that when the whistle blew, one person had to give the person going over the top a hefty push on the foot or buttocks to get them over the edge.  Most of us had the .303 with long bayonet, which in those days of no WHS, must have been an accident waiting to happen!  About a third carried lightweight rubber bayonets - for years I used to watch reruns and spot the bayonet flexing as the actor ran.

 

Quite moving to think that Peter Weir brought out a small busload of WW1 veterans and perhaps some of them had seen the Nek trenches at Gallipoli, although the chances of WA Light Horse retiring in Port Lincoln would be low.

[trajan]

Where is SS who does have some experience and/or knowledge of these? He once castigated me for turning down one of these offered over here for then GBP 500 or so - a hefty chunk from my then (and even now!) monthly salary...

 

The frog is interesting - never really looked into frogs for these things, but it reminds me of the GB WW2 type - the so-called "Home Guard" type for use with the M.1917 and/or P.1913 they carried.

 

As for the price, well, point me towards a porcelain dunny for my opinion even before consuming a single XXXX...

[Andrew Upton]

3 hours ago, trajan said:

The frog is interesting - never really looked into frogs for these things, but it reminds me of the GB WW2 type - the so-called "Home Guard" type for use with the M.1917 and/or P.1913 they carried.

 

It's the so-called Australian 1915 Pattern Equipment - it's the Australian equivalent of the 1914 Pattern Leather Equipment, but a much closer copy of the 1908 webbing. The CGHF marking on the back is for the Commonwealth Government Harness Factory:

 

http://www.karkeeweb.com/patterns/1915/1915_equipment_carriers.html

[trajan]

Thanks - I should have known that because I am certain I posted on it somewhere once...

[Chasemuseum]

The Commonwealth Government Harness Factory (CGHF) was established prior to the war and located in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray. It was expanded during the war. My information is that production nominally ceased in 1919 but that it remained in operation for the repair and distribution of military leather equipment until 1922, primarily saddlery. The factory was permitted to sell nominal amounts to returned soldiers but otherwise existed solely to supply state and federal government orders. There was a "scandal" that the factory was supplying goods to all comers, routinely at prices much less than the cost of manufacturer.  Presumably inventories of unissued war surplus. The leather makers trades associations brought the issue to  a head, with proof that the factory would happily make mail order supplies to all comers without any question whether the purchasers were returned soldiers. This led to the closure and sale of the factory.  Accordingly the CGHF marking gives confirmation that an item was made no latter than 1919.

 

There were a number of other Commonwealth Government factories also established prior to WW1.

• Small arms factory (SAF) at Lithgow in NSW. This continued until privatised about 1996. It still exists but I do not think that there has been any armament production at the factory for a number of years.
• The munitions filling station at St Marys NSW. Again this closed in the late 90s. The site has been converted to housing estates, hazardous waste landfill and parkland. 
• The CG Clothing Factory in South Melbourne Victoria. It ran through to 1971. 
• The CG Explosives factory at Maribyrnong Victoria (Melbourne). It ran through to the early 1990s.   

During the war the Government also purchased the Shaw Wireless factory at Randwick, which became the RAN Wireless Works. This was also closed shortly after the war.

Cheers

ross