Decoding Regimental Marking 1907 Bayonet

[navydoc16]

I know there’s a couple experts on here that a pretty good at decoding.

 

I have just acquired the below, September 1918 Wilkinson Pall Mall 1907- chromed for parade duties. 
 

I am struggling with the markings and the placement and would love to get some further assistance. 
 

kind regards

g

 

Edited 16 April by navydoc16

[Mattr82]

The one that has been referred to by that acronym of G.R in records is the Indian unit, The Garhwal Rifles. 

They were part of a brigade that fought in France during the First World War.

The D is assume would possibly refer to the company this bayonet was issued originally to. Is that a 1 or a capital I?

Edited 16 April by Mattr82

[navydoc16]

Should be a capital “I”, which may denote India. 
 

decent start though, cheers I was struggling to even start. The arrangement is odd to me 

[JMB1943]

Navydoc,

WILK did not add PALL MALL to their blades until 1916 ( there was an old thread on this), so your bayonet is ‘18.

Mattr82,

A number on the pommel, such as 883, is usually taken as the rifle or rack number so that the bayonet is always matched with the rifle that it is a good fit with.

Since a Company has only about 225 men, it seems unlikely that D would indicate the Coy here. Not impossible, just unlikely.

I seem to remember that we have previously had Patt. 07’s marked with a D that was taken as Depot.

Regards,

JMB

[navydoc16]

3 hours ago, JMB1943 said:

Navydoc,

WILK did not add PALL MALL to their blades until 1916 ( there was an old thread on this), so your bayonet is ‘18.

Mattr82,

A number on the pommel, such as 883, is usually taken as the rifle or rack number so that the bayonet is always matched with the rifle that it is a good fit with.

Since a Company has only about 225 men, it seems unlikely that D would indicate the Coy here. Not impossible, just unlikely.

I seem to remember that we have previously had Patt. 07’s marked with a D that was taken as Depot.

Regards,

JMB

Thanks JMB much appreciated, really looked like the back end of a “0” to me- none the less thanks for the info. 
 

the does the arrangement and size of the GR and I give any information as to its history apart from potential link to the Garwhal Rifles? 
 

1918 is quite far past expected regimental marking activities? 
 

kind regards 

g

 

[Mattr82]

2 hours ago, navydoc16 said:

 

1918 is quite far past expected regimental marking activities? 
 

Post-W11, the practise of marking items to regiments started up again in Britain, Australia and India. I'll attach a pic of a bayonet of mine.

Now I'm on my PC, I can see it's a 1918 example. Chromed bayonets are a good addition to the collection I say.

 

6 hours ago, JMB1943 said:

 

A number on the pommel, such as 883, is usually taken as the rifle or rack number so that the bayonet is always matched with the rifle that it is a good fit with.

Since a Company has only about 225 men, it seems unlikely that D would indicate the Coy here. Not impossible, just unlikely.

I seem to remember that we have previously had Patt. 07’s marked with a D that was taken as Depot.

 

Concur - I was on the line of thinking that the 883 was a battalion inventory number but unsure of the D. Depot seems like a good choice.

 

On the topic of regimentally marked bayonets post-WW1, here is an example of mine.

 

I used to think the R on this bayonet was 'reserve' and for other Grenadier Guards marked bayonets, however going through other examples, they also seem to be marked R which signified matched to rifle (rifle 698 in inventory) rather than a company. 

 

 

 

Edited 17 April by Mattr82

[t.ryan]

This one from an earlier post, has the D and number 364 and also same 364 number on grips, just a bit more to the puzzle. Not sure of the other 3 digits below 364 on pommel.

Cheers

 

[navydoc16]

5 hours ago, t.ryan said:

This one from an earlier post, has the D and number 364 and also same 364 number on grips, just a bit more to the puzzle. Not sure of the other 3 digits below 364 on pommel.

Cheers

 

Looks like X85 but someone has remarked it by stamping an “I” sideways to scrub it? 
 

thanks for the example. 
 

kind regards

g

[navydoc16]

@Mattr82@t.ryan
So just to follow up- pulled out a bunch of books and found - The Garhwal Rifles, is actually the 39th Garhwal Rifles in two regiments- in Michael Roses book their pommel marking appear as “39.G.R.” So probably a no go on that. 
 

I did find the Gloustershire Regiment- however their markings appear to be a G”R”- the “R” bring a small capital R with no “.” After the G= GR. However perhaps they were denoting the “I” for the Indian based section of the Gloustershire Regiment
 

the final option seems to be the 1st Ghurka Rifles but I don’t like the placement of the “1 or I”- however it was a regimental so potentially it was placed to the side on purpose. Rose has them as 1/1 G.R. And 2/1 G.R. However the 7th Ghurka Rifles are simply 7 G.R.- potentially the 1/ was dropped later in the war considering how late this was marked. But who knows  
 

kind regards

g

Edited 20 April by navydoc16