No9 bayonet M/49

[Peter Laidler]

I only ever disagree with Aragorn after a great deal of thought and consideration. So I have put my steel helmet tightly on........

The distinctive style of the letter M, with its extended middle leg is the distinct mark of MALTBY in much the same way as joined letters RTL are Theale, DE is Enfield and F or FY is Fazakerley.

And the year letters are undisputedly just that..

Boxes of these new, still wrapped in the green sided and sometimes sealed in tight fitting green rubbery bags and grease-proof paper x10 bear the assorted Ministry of Supply codes and B1 ordnance type numbers. The hieroglyphics that formed part of the labels also shows the packing code plus the "not to be opened until required for use' and the ROF code - Maltby Incidentally, M49 is misspelled. It is actually FRANCIS BARNET,T also known to all 50's young motor cyclists as 'Franny-Barnett', the motor cycle makers from Dudley. And to be really honest, Franny Barnett, while good little motor bike makers (and well collected by collectors today) are not known for making bayonets.........

It is inconceivable that they'd make them elsewhere and send them to ROF21 - Maltby (? correct me if the number is wrong) to be wrapped and packed
They were keen to keep the rifle factory at Maltby open and some rifles were FTR'd there.

There's a pi showing one with M49 and 50...... It's a year change stamping surely? No one would make some, stamp them and then send them over to a competitor to mark up.

Nope, the distinct extended middle leg in the M is the MALTBY logo seen on every rifle.