Help Marking on crosspiece bayonet

[TdeZeeuw]

Hello fine gentlemen and ladies,

 

I've recently inherited a bayonet from my granddad, well I say inherited but I found it on top of a cupboard needing some TLC. With my limited knowledge and googling skills I've been able to find out most of the markings. I'm pretty confident it's a Pattern 1888 Mk II.

 

On the ricasso it has a crown, a 5 and an '02, with WILKINSONLONDON

The opposite side of the ricasso has a government acceptance mark, a crown with a 4 and a w, and an x (bend test mark I guess).

The handle has a crown with a 49 and a W on both sides, I assume this a wilkinson inspection mark similar to the one on the ricasso with the 4, but I am somewhat confused why they would have such differing years/numbers. The pommel also has a sold out of service mark.

 

The mark which I find most puzzling is the one on the cross piece which simply says V 2756. I haven't been able to find similar markings on the websites I've visited so far and hoped that one of you might be able to help me. There's also an "L" shaped mark on the back of the tang which I don't really know the meaning of.

 

These should be links to the marking in question:

 

Thank you very much for your help, I appreciate it.

 

Tim

[Dave66]

Hello Tim, and welcome.

I may be a mile off here, but you commonly see Australian bayonets marked on the crossguard like that, and V could possibly indicate The state of Victoria...but I’m more used to seeing 1907’s marked in this way.

 

Hopefully someone else can chip in as I am more than happy to be corrected.

 

 

[Dave66]

A pic of the other side of Ricasso would help,

any scabbard with it?

 

Dave.

[TdeZeeuw]

Hi Dave,

 

Thank you for both your warm welcome and your replies to my question. My grandad is from Victoria (and I picked it up there when I was there) and he also had family who fought in the War and WWII, though I don't know if this particular piece was used by them as it has a general "sold out of service" mark. I have no idea what happens with these items when they are sold out of service. I unfortunately wasn't able to ask him about his relatives' experiences or how he got this piece. 

 

There was no scabbard with it unfortunately, which also partly explains why it isn't in the best of shape. I've oiled it since and have wrapped it in some old cloths since I've had it. 

I've added pictures of all the other markings I could find and both sides of the bayonet in general. Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures. The overall length of the bayonet is 42,5 cm and the blade is 30,5 cm long.

 

Cheers,

Tim

And I wasn't sure whether it had been in Australian service or not as it didn't have the Australian Department of Defence mark on it. 

Edited 31 January , 2020 by TdeZeeuw

[Dave66]

Hello Tim,

Thanks for the extra pica and info,

As you know it’s a Mk2 manufactured in May 1902, all the other smaller marks were applied as part of the production process, (I especially like the stamps on the grips as these rarely survive) and it shows no later inspection stamps or dates.
This piece would have been sold out of British service and then sent to Australia where it was issued in the state of Victoria....so nice that all that ties in with your family history.

There is an interesting thread here regarding Australian bayonet markings, as you will see they are commonly seen on the later P1907 bayonet but the first time I’ve seen them on one of these...so many thanks for sharing.

 

Dave.

 

[TdeZeeuw]

Hi Dave,

 

Thank you for your response and for the link, it's nice to come to such a friendly and helpful forum with people passionate about these items and the history connected to the Great War. I've read the thread you've shared and there's some impressive stuff there and lots of accumulated knowledge. Do you know if shippingsteel is still active on the forum and/or if he has made his infamous database public? I'll also have a look in the coming days but I though you would be much more informed than I am. I'm quite keen to see how my piece fits into the larger trends and histories of Australian bayonets and where it might have gone and been used.

 

And sorry for my late response, I wasn't able to sign in until now, and thank you giving me such a nice introduction to what the people on this forum are like. I look forward to spending quite some time here. 

 

Cheers,

Tim

[Dave66]

6 hours ago, TdeZeeuw said:

Hi Dave,

 

Thank you for your response and for the link, it's nice to come to such a friendly and helpful forum with people passionate about these items and the history connected to the Great War. I've read the thread you've shared and there's some impressive stuff there and lots of accumulated knowledge. Do you know if shippingsteel is still active on the forum and/or if he has made his infamous database public? I'll also have a look in the coming days but I though you would be much more informed than I am. I'm quite keen to see how my piece fits into the larger trends and histories of Australian bayonets and where it might have gone and been used.

 

And sorry for my late response, I wasn't able to sign in until now, and thank you giving me such a nice introduction to what the people on this forum are like. I look forward to spending quite some time here. 

 

Cheers,

Tim

Hello Tim,

This forum has a huge amount of combined knowledge and information...and we all learn something new whatever our interests.

shippingsteel is still active, you may like to send him a personal message with regard Australian service of these...(if you click on his avatar you will reach his profile page, use the envelope top right)...or you could start a separate thread with regard Australian service of the P1888 but i would put it in the “arms and other weapons” section.

 

Regards,

 

Dave.

[TdeZeeuw]

Thank you Dave,

 

I think I'll start a new thread on the "arms and other weapons" section. I hadn't looked carefully enough when I first made this thread here, I'll try to keep to the forum rules more carefully .

 

Regards,

Tim