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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Got a fine partner for my "Gallipoli Rifle"


Heatseeker

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Well, after doing a bit of research about the "correct" bayonet for my 1913 BSA No1 MkIII SMLE, it appears that at the time it was issued to the 1/5th Gurkhas in April 1914 the bayonet issued with it would have had a straight cross piece as the British apparently started to lop the curved quillions in October 1913.

So began the quest for a bayonet made 1914 or earlier, and I found a few around, but many were unit or rifle serial marked or refurbed (the rifle was apparently captured in 1915, so a bayonet refurbed in India or Australia in the 1920s wouldn't fit the bill).

Scanning through eBay yesterday, one seller has a heap of '07 bayonets available, and me and a mate started to trawl through them.

Interestingly, most were marked on the pommel with some sort of Arabic script, and that got me wondering if they came from the same source as my rifle - Turkish war stores.

Anyway, we finally settled on this one, and I think it's a beauty, for a "buy it now" price of US$79.

It's a very early December 1913 (Skennerton states that India only started making Pattern '07 bayonets in 1914, so it must be among the first) Ishapore which apparently hasn't been refurbed, has almost identical walnut timber to the rifle furniture and doesn't have the chicken scratch engraving. The photo isn't very clear, but the pommel apparently doesn't have the oil hole, which was a post 1916 feature often added during refurbishment.

A big bonus is the correct era "tear drop" scabbard.

Seeing the Gurkhas were based in India when the rifle was issued, this bayonet was just as likely to have been issued with the rifle as any other, and it is nice that, like the rifle, the bayonet was manufactured on the eve of the Great War.

Anyway, I think it's about as good a match for my "Gallipoli Rifle" as I will ever get!

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Lucky you !. I am still searching for a 1911 dated Hookie w/no unit markings or non english markings for the 1911 SMLE I hold in high esteem. Got a very decent 1908 sanderson hookie to swap for a 1911 hookie - I think my sanderson is either Irish or scot guards marked off hand.

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