What bayonet would be correct with my 1918 Lithgow SMLE

[Bindi2]

I would have thought post #26 did answer the Q but Peter L. has put in another good varation which on reflection i think #26 still covers.

[Bindi2]

Bigduke great collection. Would you please enlighten me on the 8th scabard from the left top picture and the last 3 pieces same picture on the right

[bigduke6]

Bigduke great collection. Would you please enlighten me on the 8th scabard from the left top picture and the last 3 pieces same picture on the right

The scabbard is an Indian brass mounted one, the bayonet is a Admiralty contract , the last three on the right, RFI Mk11, an Owen SMG, and a cut down 1907 but same profile as a SLR etc, in a converted P14 scabbard.

[old-smithy]

Big duke, must be nice to have that much clear floor, i have trouble finding the room to photograph one blade never mind such an impressive group. see none of the foreign made 07 blades, Italian, Indonesian, which coudl all have fitted an 18 Lithgow lol

[Bindi2]

Thanks Bigduke sure is a great collection:

[bigduke6]

Carl, It wasnt that clear before the pics, had to make the space, there was a few other straglers but didnt quite fit in the line up. Would Be nice to get some of the examples you mention.

Bit off topic but regarding the foreign examples does anyone here remember a picture posted by KevG (usually on the Bren forum) it was a group German Lufftwafe armed with SMLE,s but cant remember the bayonets they had ?think the pic was on the Enfield forum.

[old-smithy]

Bigduke, know the feeling well. I have jsut read an interesting article in one of the French collecotrs clubs magazines wihich showed th erare converted belgian Ersatz made in WWI by the Germans fit the SMLE, also some of the Ersoc bayonets fit the SMLE, and of course they re issued 07's including a Steel scabbard that is only seen in the Belgian Military museum

[bigduke6]

Carl the pics I mentioned but no bayonets in view,





For anyone interested, the Tunic is the Flying Blouse (Fliegerbluse) and dated around 1940, think this is the first issue as the second issue had pockets and a national emblem.

[smith3006]

But back to the original question, even with all the variables that have been tossed around, it still hasn't been answered has it? We SHOULD have thrown another question back at the originator by asking '.....what era do you want the rifle to represent.........?' For example, if he has a a diorama of anything post 1930's, such as with a collection of Korea memorabilia or a slit trench in North Africa or Korea or the Kings Colour Guard for the 1937 Royal State Visit or even the Australian Army contingent at the 1952 Coronation or....... then any bayonet will be correct with his rifle surely. But even that isn't the final answer because while the rifle is a known age/date there are so many OTHER variables of bayonet, even BEFORE the 1930's we'd need to know in what context he's asking about

Or am I missing something?

It's a bit like asking 'what bayonet should I have on my Lithgow L1A1'? If it was Malaya or Borneo or South Vietnam, all within my era/realm it could be a Lithgow, BSA or an Enfield one just so long as it was dated pre 1972....... No?

Sorry Peter but I think you did miss the point entirely (and gew8085; must be a clone somehow). Chris asked what was the right bayonet for his SMLE and once we saw from his photos in the lee Enfield Knowledge forum we had had a pretty good understanding what he was about and not was his collecting theme may or may not be. Looking at his further posts he collects SMLEs. Don't understand why you need to go off on different tangents. These are Australian P1907 bayonets not the run of the mill, millon made bayonets of the British Empire. I have already as Bindi2 says given the scenarios for what we Australians think is right for his Australian made rifle. Let Chris decide what he wants without WW3.

[smith3006]

So much for the New Year, I was beginning to think I enjoyed this thread but now I am not so sure. I can understand people's different points of view but banging heads against the wall makes no sense. Perhaps I will get banned from the site - lets hope