WW1 GERMAN BAYONETS FROM MY COLLECTION

[zuluwar2006]

1 minute ago, Rafal1971 said:

Funny thing
Dimitrios, paradoxically, is not a very rare regimental designation.
After 1914/15, the armorer (old man, probably always strictly followed the Prussian regulations) of this unit marked all bayonets of the 164th Regiment.
If anyone follows 98/05 with regimental markings, they appear from time to time.
But of course, congratulations on joining the Regiment 164 bayonet club 

 

Rafal, yes, i understand your opinion. 

To me, any war time unit marking on bayonets, i categorized it as very rare, cause of the circumstences. 

Thank you, regards, D. 

[Rafal1971]

So that it doesn't appear that he writes meaningless words

My 164th may not be the most beautiful

[zuluwar2006]

Dear Rafal,

this is an excellent matched example, well donne!!! 

Regards, D. 

[AndyBsk]

Easy way as mentioned some of the units appear normally and are not rare, because of armorer fully stamped the property of the unit, here evidently on 164.IR was this case. the unit is stamped per manual not as simplifyed war time stamping.

[zuluwar2006]

Dear Gents, 

Today i present you a very rare ersatz bayonet, never recorded before. 

Here it is a modified version of No 432 on Roy Williams book for ersatz bayonets. It is a variation of the EB 7 bayonet, with the open muzzle ring completely removed (probably to fit the kar 98).

Sheet steel hilt, similar to EB 7 ersatz model, but with a round oil hole drilled close to the guard. 

Two piece steel crossguard and double diameter muzzle ring, the reverse of the guard unit marked with a very rare wartime unit marking (never recorded before as far as i know) =  R.E.VI.R.48

Single edge fullered steel blade. Unfortunately no scabbard on this speciment. 

Roy mentioned on his book that this model with open muzzle ring was an unrecorded example. Now we have and another unrecorded example, this time with the open muzzle ring removed. 

I remind that unit marked examples on ersatz bayonets are 0,5% (1 on 200 examples), according A. Carter's book for ersatz bayonets. 

Regards, D. 

Edited 14 April by zuluwar2006

[AndyBsk]

Bayonet is interesting because of unit marking, otherway it should be destined its a only for Gew98 type also longer handle or its a normal ASG88/98 (locking lenght 100mm) as typical by using on various rifles. The ears of crossguard could be removed in case of ASG88/98 (mainly here as the crosspiece is from 2 parts). The unit marking is positioned on wrong side, on obverese not on reverse. But this could be done in war. Question remains the explanation of the unit, there existed only 4  Reserve Ersatz Regiments, no nr.6. As the blade is tempered i would look for possible welding in middle part area?

Edited 14 April by AndyBsk

[zuluwar2006]

Andy, unit marking is a puzzle and for me.

VI could be 6th Army Korps? 

Open muzzle ring removed, has never recorded before on this model of ersatz bayonets, so rarity is cause of the unrecorded model, plus and the unit marking. 

The removal of crossguard was made for use with kar 98, as Christian Mery indicate on his book. 

Regards, D. 

[AndyBsk]

R.E. in combination of VI. doesnt have much sin for me, then the next should be not R but B in case of a VI.Army Corps. and there is no company nr. here listed.

Details of area should be made where are the barrel ring rest, anyway this is a rusted piece and should be compared surface on other parts with the crosspiece upper area.

I dont believe Mery has confirmed it on real direction, should be seen on archive material,  removing of ears could be done actually by any waffenmeister by unit, with the cleaning hole is clear this bayonet was destined for long Gew98 rifle. As mentioned You need to measure the locking lenght as the handle looks like ASG88/98 standard. When we assume blade width is 25mm so from end of crossguard to start of press button is a 4xwidth which means a 100 mm locking lenght which is correct for Gew88 rifle. So there was by production dual diameter barellring on the second ring of crosspiece.

By recording i would be carefully, many strange piece exist on market. A.Carter wrote his book 50 years ago, when was not internet, so all the variation could be not described.

Edited 15 April by AndyBsk

[Rafal1971]

Dimitrios,
Is there no trace of a number on the other side of the crossguard?
As Andy pointed out, are there any weld marks in the center of the blade?
The difference in the surface of the center of the fuller and the blade suggests that someone "cleaned" it quite thoroughly.
The most interesting thing is regimental marking.

[Rafal1971]

It seems to me that ... VI.R can be interpreted as Reserve VI Army Corps. Maybe because of this - R.E. stands for Ersatz Battalion of the Reserve Regiment... and I'm missing the number on the crossguard of which regiment ...