L1A1 (SLR) bayonet - unusual stamp

[MilSurp in Oz]

I've just picked up an Australian L1A1 (SLR) bayonet without any markings as normal.

It appears unissued with the usual parkerised / phosphate finish.

However on the back of the scabbard, at the bottom an inch up from the tip, in the middle, is a very small cross that has been stamped faintly. It looks like a miniature of the bend test cross (acceptance stamp) found on SMLE patt.1907 bayonets.

Any thoughts?

I've never seen it before.

Unfortunately I seem technically challenged posting pics from an iPad.

Cheers,
M.

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[smith3006]

A photo would help

[MilSurp in Oz]

Will do, as soon as I can.

[Peter Laidler]

On a similar vein, has anyone ever seen an Australian L1A1 bayonet with a clearance hole in the pommel - similar to that in the old SMLE bayonet. It seems as though several were obviously trialled at Maribiyong(? spelling....) in Oz and came over here but nothing ever became of them. I have a feeling in my bones that they were as a result of GULF 1 or as we call it now 'ar5e kicking in Kuwait' as a means of diplacing sand that prevented them being fixed. But I could be wrong as the L1A1 only had a few more years of life left by then and further trials and test were pretty well academic. Like milsurp in Oz, I'll get a pic of the one at Warminster when I next go back