Owen Bayonet

[Aussie48]

Hi Guys,

I have been given a bayonet complete with scabbard and frog by a friend who was cleaning out his fathers stuff. The bayonet is a Lithgow 1907 with a short roughly cut blade to 10 inches, The scabbard is Orange marked the frog is Australian marked 1939.
His father like mine was diverted from the middle east to New Guinea and was issued an Owen and this bayonet.

The marks on the blade are one side:
MA
1907
1
6 42

other side:
Arrow
Proof Mark MA

On the hilt below the release catch:
C
42778

So I think I will have in my hot little hands one of the few genuine cut down war expedient Owen bayonets. Apparently the blade has been ground down in a not very professional way. Will get some pictures up as soon as I have it in my hot little hands for you to critique.

Dick

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Looking forward, the one I had was a bit rough ground too. Sort of a Bowie point to it too...

[porterkids]

According to Skennerton the cut downs are all dated 10 44. If I remember correctly, they also have an 8" blade, not 10" like the purpose made shorter bayonets.

[browningautorifle]

Makes sense, mine was shorter than 10".

[Flying10uk]

I wondered about it being an Indian cut-down 1907 bayo but at 10" it seems too short for this.

[Aussie48]

There was no bayonet for the Owen Gun when it was adopted in 1941. An experimental bayonet was made by the manufacturers of the Owen Gun (Lysaghts) when they were developing the Mark II Owen, although it was never adopted. A bayonet was not adopted for the Owen Gun until 1944. This bayonet was a shortened version of the standard Pattern 1907, or No. 1 Mark I bayonet. Originally designed for use with the trials Shortened and Lightened rifles, the bayonet was approved on the 31st July 1944, sealed on the 16th August 1944 and was designated Bayonet Sub-Machine Gun (Aust.) No.1 Mk.I.

This is what I have, either his father did it himself or the local Light Aid Detachment before he was shipped to New Guinea

Dick

https://www.milsurps.com/vbpicgaller...do=view&g=1106

[Flying10uk]

It appears to have a short fuller; so how can it be a shortened 1907 bayonet? If it was shortened surely the fuller would run through to the point?

[browningautorifle]

It appears to have a short fuller

No, that one is clearly a shortened 1907...upswept point...

[Flying10uk]

No, that one is clearly a shortened 1907...upswept point...

Jim, could you explain why the fuller doesn't go to the end of the blade if it is, as you say, a shortened 1907 blade, please?

[Peter Laidler]

I have the gravest doubts as to the practicality of a bayonet with the fuller running right through to the point being a service issue. It defeats the point - if you'll excuse the pun. Chopped down short to prove size, fit and usefulness is one thing. But for issue is total lunacy in my opinion so far as the mechanics and strength are concerned. With a fuller running through to the point, the frontal cross section is immediately (virtually/probably) halved. And not only that, it's halved longitudinally at the very point at which its strength and toughness is needed most. It's a bayonet......, at the point.......!

Nope. I say that bayonets, especially of the No1 type, that are clearly cut down/cut short other bayonets are the work of those with a spare damaged bayonet and a bit of time on their hands. Unless someone can show me in official paperwork words to the contrary