Hi everyone,
I'm a newbie here and this is my first post. I'm embarrassed to say I joined just to ask about this bayonet but having looked about the site I might try and find the time to stay a member. Any how to the bayonet.
Known history is that it belonged to my Granddad who fought in the army and royal flying corps (observer) in WWI. Where he got it from I have no idea. I first saw it about 35 yrs ago & after he'd died and it was then as it is now. It came to me about 10yrs ago.
I've googled ' Enfield bayonets' and am none the wiser. It has some similarities with the P1903 lee enfield and what I've gleaned from the few markings they support this. One side is marked E.R. beneath a crown which supports an Edwardian date. No other marks this side. The other side is marked EFD beneath the broad arrow and just above the grip is a small crown with C6 or CG or G6 below and another? undecipherable mark just below that. Other marks are an L (land forces?) on the back of the tang and on the scabbard (on the leather) a crown over ER over 7. There are a couple of other marks on the leather but too faint to make out. The throat of the chape has a serial number? 1167 X. That's it marking wise. I have no idea if it ever had a cross guard. The scales have some age & extend over the area it should occupy. Unfortunately the pommel end has been saw off. The shape of the grip and scabbard chape fit well with the P1903 as does the centre ridge part of the blade, but the drain hole is rather too near the wood, from what I've seen so far and that clipped point! This isn't a P1903 that's had a nose job, lease ways not a cheap grind on one anyway. Why not? I hear you ask. Look at the centre ridge line, it curves up following the cutting edge. There's not the metal to do that by grinding from a straight centre ridge.
I did, tentatively, try to the grips off to look for more markings but the screws wouldn't budge. I'll try again if you chaps think it might be worth it. Well that's it. I'm all ears - well eyes then.
Now lets see if I can do the pic's. Gosh, success?
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