Lockdown Bayonet Show

[shippingsteel]

I haven't posted anything in quite a long time so thought this may be a good time to try and brighten the day of some fellow collector's out there.

 

Here in no particular order are 10 bayonets from the GW randomly selected from my collection. Please feel free to help me identify them all.😏

 

Cheers, SS 

1.

[shippingsteel]

2.

3.

4.

[shippingsteel]

5.

6.

7.

[shippingsteel]

8.

9.

10.

[Steve1871]

Nice set you posted there, thank’s. I am a trucker, no have a Ref. Library to work off of, but the first is a Canadian Ross, the tip, where it cuts up sharply, I think strange?

2nd is, I think, an S 14, German, looks unissued

3rd is British P.07 enfield, always good for collections, 4th is German 98/05 “butcher”  first model with high “ears” and saw backed, originally with leather / steel scabbard, yours has later all steel one but still good. 5th is British P.1888 for Metford/ Enfield , one of the most beautiful and wicked looking bayonets ( my humble opinion) 6th.  Is U.S.  for 1903 rifle, think this model is called 1905, not sure, there are 2 date/model types for basically same blade. 7th.  I think is the. o.1903, using the P.1888 blade, think scabbard is early type. 8th. IsBritish Enfield, for the “ other Winfield’s”. P.14 Brit and P.17 U.S., the 2 slots on grips, I forget off hand if Brit made it U.S., made for Britton ?

9th is what looks like Spanish, for their Mauser rifles, but just not sure. The blade is upside down, which confuses me, just not sure and last us the nice, original British P.07 with Hooked quillion or as some affectionately call, the “Hookie”.  What would be really nice would be to go back and try take clear pics of the markings. For a forum like ours, so many members can piece together histories and as I like to say, bring these pieces of history to life, from where made, to the units and where they might have been during the war, 

Thanjs for sharing 

Steve

[AndyBsk]

Nr.2 when 250mm blade could be normal german S84/98 ,

4. S98/05aAS sawback version

8.should be with the american belt system a P1917 US modell.

9.is austrian ugrian Mannlicher M1895 for rifle and soldier.

Edited 11 April , 2020 by AndyBsk

[Chasemuseum]

9 hours ago, Steve1871 said:

Canadian Ross, the tip, where it cuts up sharply, I think strange?

This is the Canadian Ross, sharpened in England for combat service. Used in this format by the early CEF while still burdened with the Ross on the Western Front.

 

Do not understand why but back in the 1980s these were much more common in collecting than the unsharpened bayonets, now the reverse is the case.

[shippingsteel]

Thanks to those who have commented so far. Mostly you guys are on the right track but I will leave it open for other members to have a try as well.

 

When I said these examples were randomly selected from my collection I was being totally serious.! They were actually pulled out of my storages and photographed by another person. Some of you may have noticed the difference ... my normal photos never turned out this good.! 

 

So when I found these photos I posted them up without really looking at them. Then when it came time to check the identifications I even had to do a 'double take' myself.! Lets just say there has been a 'wildcard entry' slip into the mix. I apologise this wasn't intentional at all ... but this 'challenge' suddenly got a whole lot more difficult. 

 

Seriously it will take a certain type of 'bayonet anorak' to pick this one (or alternatively some member who has been following my posts over the years VERY closely) But, it is entirely possible and there is definitely no trick to it. Let's see who can find the odd one out. 

 

Cheers, SS

[Chasemuseum]

The USA M17 without the oil hole is less common.

[OLD ROBIN HOOD]

Greetings from the Royal Hunting Forest of Sherwood.

 

Here is my contribution to this topic. 

A collection of excavated bayonets from the Western Front.

It wasn't me that made it up I bought it from the chap who did. 

 

 

 

Hope they are of interest.

 

                                                                                         Keep well, keep safe.

                                                                                         Old Robin Hood

 

[AndyBsk]

Interesting pieces with history, the designation of Lebel bayonet is not fully corect, as the modell is in french literature known as M1886/15 and was used mostly on Berthier M07/15 and M1916 rifles. possible the S98/05/15 is too problematic, better designation would be S98/05nA.

Edited 12 April , 2020 by AndyBsk

[Michael Haselgrove]

S>S,

Thanks very much for the excellent photos.  All very interesting.  I'm afraid, although I can identify most of the bayonets without recourse to books, I can't identify the "wildcat" entry and look forward to learning which it is.  

Best wishes,

Michael.

[shippingsteel]

23 hours ago, Chasemuseum said:

The USA M17 without the oil hole is less common.

 

Well spotted. This example is actually a late production P1913 bayonet that was subsequently 'US' overstamped and taken into American service. Hence the lack of clearance hole and the accompanying M1917 scabbard.

So essentially still the standard US M1917 arrangement. And for those wondering ... this is NOT the odd one out. 

 

Cheers,  SS 

Edited 13 April , 2020 by shippingsteel

[shippingsteel]

To help narrow it down a bit I will post the ID's of the first 5 bayonets. These are all pretty straightforward and self-explanatory.

1.  Ross P1911 bayonet (aka Ross MkII) ... for the Canadian Ross rifle
2.  S84/98 bayonet ... for the German Gew98 rifle
3.  P1907 bayonet ... for the British SMLE rifle
4.  S98/05 aAS bayonet ... for the German Gew98 rifle
5.  P1888 MkI bayonet ... for the British MLM/MLE rifle

[shippingsteel]

No more takers so I will post the ID's of the remaining 5 bayonets to perhaps allay the curiosity of a couple of hard-core bayonet enthusiasts.!

• 6.  M1905 bayonet ... for the US M1903 Springfield rifle
• 7.  P1903 bayonet ... for the British SMLE rifle
• 8.  P1913/M1917 bayonet ... for the US M1917 rifle
• 9.  Greek Y1903 bayonet ... for the Greek M1903 Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifle
• 10. P1907 HQ bayonet ... for the British SMLE rifle

[shippingsteel]

The Greek Y1903 is one of the more obscure bayonets of the Great War with Greece (who originally stayed neutral) only coming on board with the Allies during the latter stages of the war. The M1903 Mannlicher-Schoenauer was a long serving rifle for the Greeks being the mainstay longarm during the various Balkan Wars. The Y1903 bayonet is very similar to the Austrian M1895 being made by OEWG to essentially the same design. The only discernible difference (apart from the markings) being the noticeably higher and more extended muzzle-ring offset on the crossguard. These are one of the rarer bayonets of the GW and are usually sold off in the marketplace as a mis-described Austrian M1895 and you can be lucky to pick these up on the cheap if you happen to know what to look for. You should never just 'assume' anything... ALWAYS look to the detail. 

 

Cheers, SS

Edited 13 April , 2020 by shippingsteel

[shippingsteel]

So here are the photos which show the unique markings that are found on the Y1903 bayonets. It is extremely hard to find these in their original state as many were subsequently converted over the years by replacing the crossguard to suit other rifles (usually indicated by the heavy rivets used to secure the replacement crossguard) The original Y1903 bayonet has the letter G on the ricasso, the unique serial number with Greek letter stamped along the crossguard, and the St.George slaying the Dragon symbol stamped on the pommel. Good luck finding one.! 

PS. These images have been posted on this forum before.

Cheers, SS

 

 

 

Edited 14 April , 2020 by shippingsteel

[shippingsteel]

Clues to identify the Greek Y1903 bayonet .... taken from the original photo posted (Bayonet No.9)

 

 

 

[AndyBsk]

Yes the no9 is greek contract M1903 short blade bayonet, as from first picture are not known details, the barell ring should be 18mm above handle, St.George, G letter speaks for it.

[trajan]

Thanks for showing these SS, nice to have a competition for these times. But why is the Y1903 the odd one out? Greece was in WW1!

 

They are indeed rare: many went to Bulgaria and had their muzzle-rings / crossguards adapted and the marks ground-off the pommel. I have 5-6 of the uncoverted Y1903's, only only with an original scabbard though, but these ones do include the rarest of the type, a naval issue with anchor mark, but sadly a cracked muzzle ring. This is at the end of https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/209495-greek-wwi-bayonets-the-y-1903/

 

Julian