markeings on lee metford bayonet
- Thread starter JTF#
- Start date
First picture: Broad Arrow: Gummint Property.
WD: War Department
Crown, 75, E: Inspected by Inspector Number 75 at Enfield
X: the Proof mark. Each and every Bayonet was TESTED individually. During this test the blade was actually BENT to a considerable angle and then straightened WITHOUT breaking. A too-hard blade will BREAK in combat. Queen Victoria's British Army had NO too-hard blades.
Second picture: a lot more information and somewhat garbled.
Crown, VR: this Bayonet was HERS: Queen Victoria's. All of Her property was so marked. If a civilian wanted one, he could buy one without Her marking..... or buy one that She didn't need any longer, in which case it had BETTER have a "Sale Mark" on it.
A Lee-Metford Bayonet should be a Pattern of 1888. Some were modified for the early Short Rifles; these were the Pattern 1903, some of which were actually remodelled Pattern 1888s. There are at least 3 variants on the 1888 Bayonet.
This one has been back to the factory at least for inspection on several occasions. The '93 will be the original date of manufacture, but it was inspected for one reason or another in 1895, 1901, 1903 and 1906. Inspector Number 44 checked it out the last time it was in, Number 23 (1903) and Number 9 (1895) prior to that. Inspector (what looks to be) B-for-Birmingham 3 had a go at it in 1901, from the look. It is entirely likely that some of these marings had to do with service in South Africa and equipment being re-inspected on return home. That's just MY guess, anyway.
A lovely old piece! If only it could talk!
WD: War Department
Crown, 75, E: Inspected by Inspector Number 75 at Enfield
X: the Proof mark. Each and every Bayonet was TESTED individually. During this test the blade was actually BENT to a considerable angle and then straightened WITHOUT breaking. A too-hard blade will BREAK in combat. Queen Victoria's British Army had NO too-hard blades.
Second picture: a lot more information and somewhat garbled.
Crown, VR: this Bayonet was HERS: Queen Victoria's. All of Her property was so marked. If a civilian wanted one, he could buy one without Her marking..... or buy one that She didn't need any longer, in which case it had BETTER have a "Sale Mark" on it.
A Lee-Metford Bayonet should be a Pattern of 1888. Some were modified for the early Short Rifles; these were the Pattern 1903, some of which were actually remodelled Pattern 1888s. There are at least 3 variants on the 1888 Bayonet.
This one has been back to the factory at least for inspection on several occasions. The '93 will be the original date of manufacture, but it was inspected for one reason or another in 1895, 1901, 1903 and 1906. Inspector Number 44 checked it out the last time it was in, Number 23 (1903) and Number 9 (1895) prior to that. Inspector (what looks to be) B-for-Birmingham 3 had a go at it in 1901, from the look. It is entirely likely that some of these marings had to do with service in South Africa and equipment being re-inspected on return home. That's just MY guess, anyway.
A lovely old piece! If only it could talk!
thanks!
told me every thing I wanted to know!
I think these bayonets in less then good condition are allot more fun when it comes to markings. allot of really nice ones out there but they just don't carry the history.
i'll post a pic of the full bayonet next time I get the cam out.
told me every thing I wanted to know!
I think these bayonets in less then good condition are allot more fun when it comes to markings. allot of really nice ones out there but they just don't carry the history.
i'll post a pic of the full bayonet next time I get the cam out.
here is some of the other markings.
can you tell what variant it is?
do you think with that date and the markings its possible boer war issued?
so far if your correct about SA. this bayo went from England to SA then back to England then some how to PA USA were I got it and now to Canada.
can you tell what variant it is?
do you think with that date and the markings its possible boer war issued?
so far if your correct about SA. this bayo went from England to SA then back to England then some how to PA USA were I got it and now to Canada.
This is a Mark 1 type - the hole through the grips is meant to be there, for poking the dirt out. These early models are counterbored for the cleaning rod - later rifles did not have the rod and so the counterbore was discontinued. The bright finish is normal with this model; later ones were partly blued. Various models of scabbard were issued, none of which proved to be as durable as the original pattern.
