Type 30 Arisaka Bayonet goes to England

[trajan]

On 22/11/2020 at 00:48, JMB1943 said:

...I know that this is not the SMLE/P.’07 combination, but this is the first clue that I personally have seen in print that supports the ‘rifle/rack’

number stamp on bayonet pommel because of lack of correct fit....

 

On which, slightly off-topic, I too had wondered about this serial number rifle/bayonet matter. German bayonets and rifles are both marked (until 1914 or so) down to company and weapon number which indicates the same practice but I have not seen anything in print to confirm it. In 3R Germany, bayonet serial numbers were included in soldier's paybooks, but after 1934, Germany dropped the unit-marking system - I guess 'vorsprung durch tecknik' had eliminated the problem of tolerances over fitting matters!