Doggy38 Posted 3 January , 2019 Share Posted 3 January , 2019 Hi. My brother found a bayonet many years ago near to where we used to live. Believe he dug it up. The date is 1913 and I think it says 4 and 17 on the ricasso with a circle below that but not sure if this is relevant as can’t see any markings in that. On the pommel there is another number 948. On the other side of the ricasso is an arrow? And I think a6 with an A below that. I’ve attached a few photos which I hope might help. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 3 January , 2019 Share Posted 3 January , 2019 It's a Remington made 1913 Pattern bayonet - see: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggy38 Posted 3 January , 2019 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2019 I thought Remington are an American company? Looking at other ones they’ve a US stamp but was this if they were recommissioned? Think my brother found it near Waltham cross in Herts which I think is where the Enfield rifle was made. Also what are the other marks and the relevance of the number if any on the pommel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasemuseum Posted 4 January , 2019 Share Posted 4 January , 2019 The "1913" stamp is the pattern model, not the year of manufacture. That is coded under the 1913 and appears to be a 15 for 1915. There should be another number in front of this as a month code but I cannot read this. The marks on the other side are the UK acceptance stamps. Accordingly this is a P13 bayonet manufactured for the P14 .303 rifle, being made in the US by Remington on behalf of the UK government. There is a lot of information on the P14 and M17 rifles on forum threads. They all use the same bayonet, only those manufactured for the US military have US acceptance stamps rather than UK stamps. Some even have the UK stamps struck out and US stamps added. Ultimately the USA government ended up with large quantities of both US & UK marked bayonets. Very large quantities were supplied to the UK in the early period of WW2 and were widely issued to the Home Guard. They were also used by rear echelon troops such as guards at prisoner of war camps, critical factories, RAF bases, and key infrastructure. So this bayonet "found" in the UK despite being manufactured in 1915, may have made its way to where it was found; - as a WW1 issue, illegally diverted by a soldier, or - sold out of service after WW1, lawfully entering the civilian market and ultimately discarded, - supplied by the US Government in WW2 and issued to rear echelon troops or home guard and then diverted (legally or illegally) or - sold out of service after WW2 to the civilian market. Basically, it talks with a cryptic tale, covering a violent century and service. Cheers Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggy38 Posted 4 January , 2019 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2019 10 hours ago, Chasemuseum said: The "1913" stamp is the pattern model, not the year of manufacture. That is coded under the 1913 and appears to be a 15 for 1915. There should be another number in front of this as a month code but I cannot read this. The marks on the other side are the UK acceptance stamps. Accordingly this is a P13 bayonet manufactured for the P14 .303 rifle, being made in the US by Remington on behalf of the UK government. There is a lot of information on the P14 and M17 rifles on forum threads. They all use the same bayonet, only those manufactured for the US military have US acceptance stamps rather than UK stamps. Some even have the UK stamps struck out and US stamps added. Ultimately the USA government ended up with large quantities of both US & UK marked bayonets. Very large quantities were supplied to the UK in the early period of WW2 and were widely issued to the Home Guard. They were also used by rear echelon troops such as guards at prisoner of war camps, critical factories, RAF bases, and key infrastructure. So this bayonet "found" in the UK despite being manufactured in 1915, may have made its way to where it was found; - as a WW1 issue, illegally diverted by a soldier, or - sold out of service after WW1, lawfully entering the civilian market and ultimately discarded, - supplied by the US Government in WW2 and issued to rear echelon troops or home guard and then diverted (legally or illegally) or - sold out of service after WW2 to the civilian market. Basically, it talks with a cryptic tale, covering a violent century and service. Cheers Ross Thanks for your info. I think it’s a number 4 so April. It certainly is an interesting story. As I say I think it was found near the Enfield site so it could’ve been used there as protection possibly? We will never know! Not really sure what to do with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 5 January , 2019 Share Posted 5 January , 2019 21 hours ago, Doggy38 said: Thanks for your info. I think it’s a number 4 so April. It certainly is an interesting story. As I say I think it was found near the Enfield site so it could’ve been used there as protection possibly? We will never know! Not really sure what to do with it! Well, you could find a scabbard for it - pretty easy to come by - and have it as a wall ornament! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggy38 Posted 6 January , 2019 Author Share Posted 6 January , 2019 On 05/01/2019 at 08:54, trajan said: Well, you could find a scabbard for it - pretty easy to come by - and have it as a wall ornament! Thanks for the suggestion but it’s not really my thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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