What bayonet would be correct with my 1918 Lithgow SMLE

[smith3006]

Point taken Old-smithy. You ask an axtremely good question. Where Australia manufactured bayonets in the number as per their rifles this was brought about through Government factories unlike the British who put bayonet production out to commmercial ventures such as Wilkinson, Sanderson and the like. Australian production was either at the small arms factory of Lithgow or its main feeder factory for bayonets after 1941 and that being Orange.
Australia did produce "Reserve" supplies of bayonets in the early years and these were usually marked during WW1 on the crossguard with a numeral of 1 to 6 representing the States eg 1 = Queensland, 5 = Western Australia representing as to where they were being held. When reserve supplies were used a stamping of D^D was added above the number and the particular rifle number added to the bayonet at the pommel.
Many Australian bayonets have one or more serial numbers and I have in my possession a 5MD bayonet with three numbers and because of its chemical parkerisation its final refurbishment was during the 1950s (Korean War). Their is also the odd ones like a British manufacture with South Afican issue markings and finally the refurbished markings of Lithgow in WW2.
Irrespective of the original manufacturing date, bayonets were refurbished in the 1940s and are marked as such either on the pommel or ricasso. No new rifle numbers were appended. P1907 bayonets ceased production in 1945 at Lithgow however many were subsequently refurbished and the finish is a dark black chemical parkerisation (dull matt black) and the relevent date appears on the the top of the tang usually in the format of R - Date eg R-56. Again no additional rifle numbers are appended. Rifle numbers around WW2 were only added at production. In trying to match bayonets to rifles there is always more than one approach but deciding on the appropriate one (or more) is always facinating especially for us Aussies.

[Bindi2]

smith3006 don't be afraid to about senior members, just mean we have been on here longer not that we necessarily know more, or that we are more willing to post than others. I found your information interesting, I have Aussie blades with serials but only remember them with MD marks etc. and thought that like most countries serializing blades to rifles stopped with the war periods. This then of course means that there is th possibility of more than one blade with the same serial number as a lost blade would need replacing. My question then is how did they replace them if every rifle had its own blade? did they issue spares for such circumstances? if so where did they come from if the made exactly the same number of blades as rifles? I am not trying to be awkward but if you look at things like this you will see where Peter and I got our comments from. Logistically this would be a nightmare during wartime with equipment losses etc.

They went out with a bayonet and came back with one. May not be the same one but the storemen did not ask Qs. The war upset the book keepers.
What were the convicts mostly that were sent to Australia. Even if it is bolted down it is not safe, so watch your shadow it could go missing.

[bigduke6]

What were the convicts mostly that were sent to Australia. Even if it is bolted down it is not safe

They wernt all scousers thats for sure, as the Aussie accent does have twangs of cockney.

[old-smithy]

Smith3006 thanks for adding a bit more to the story, it is amazing what is ut there but so often restricted to a few people in a particualar group (I admit to havign my own bits tucked away and not for release till I get my example cheap ;-) ) That is what makes these forums so great and occasionally shows up us "seniors" workign within our own knowledge base. By my understanding then there is only 1 bayonet that will go with his rifle and that shoudl make the hunt very frustrating LOL

Now i need to review my Aussi 07's and identify th emarkings further, jsut what i need another task :-(

[Bindi2]

If you have a 5MD rifle fitting a 5MD bayonet will be about as close as you are likely to come if the years match buy a lotto ticket if the numbers match you have just won lotto.

[smith3006]

[QUOTE=old-smithy;247734] By my understanding then there is only 1 bayonet that will go with his rifle and that shoudl make the hunt very frustrating LOL


Actually after reviewing further photos of the rifle, mfzr01 (Chris) does have some alternatives:
1. A 1918 dated Lithgow
2. A 1918 dated Lithgow marked to 3MD (Victoria) as his SMLE is
3. A 1943 undated/ unissued Lithgow - Orange (OA), these are still around and will match the condition of the SMLE
4. Any dated Lithgow showing the refurbished year 1946 as per his rifle
5. If dates mean nothing and Chris is just looking for an example then any P1907 will do.

[Peter Laidler]

Where does my RAN marked but totally unnumbered bayonet fit in then? Or weren't the Aust Navy in on the numbering scheme? I got it in NZ when we collected and scrapped the last Lanchesters from HMNZS Royalist (or was it HMNZS Blackpool?)

[Bindi2]

That Q is best answered by Smith3006 i reckon. My guess it is a WW1 replacement for the stores given to England at the beginning of hostilities ,went into store and issued to the RAN at some time later when the MDs had been removed. Most of the MDs did not have a navy componet that was Commonwealth territory. I will be corrected no doubt if out of order.
You got it in NZ those thieving BUGGARS.

[smith3006]

Well this is a first I didn't know we had a Navy and I will have to check that fact. I have bayonets marked to the airforce but not the navy. To have a British P1907 without the Australian contract acceptance mark probaly means that we in the first place didn't order it and somehow obtained it through devious means and then had a guilty conscience and thats why NZ ended up with it. You have to remember that Aussie only numbered their own manufactured bayonets (for each rifle); those ordered and supplied by the motherland had the contract acceptance mark of the arrow instead the upper case D imprinted on it. NZ was always our dumping ground because they can't play cricket or manufacture good edge weapons , probably in a lot of trouble now!!. On second thoughts that is not quite true as I spent several hours this year in the NZ National Army museum's armoury rummaging through some magnificant bayonets (all made by other countries!! ) and discovered a fighting knife/ bayonet that appeared to be of Australian manufacture and what's more of later vintage and better than anything in the Lithgow museum or my own collection and I do need to go back again next year for further research because it is not recorded in any book. Bindi2 has it about right, I think.

[muffett.2008]

What is it with the crowd from W.A that they have to pick on the rest of Australasia?