WW1 BRITISH 1903 PATTERN Bayonet & Scabbard P1888 Blade ENFIELD

British 1903 Pattern Bayonet For the. These bayonets were used by the small professional pre-war British Army and made up the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in 1914. This is the army that Kaiser Wilhelm referred to as, "that contemptible little army". In any event, British Army regulars from 1914 quickly seized upon the description and adopted it as something of a badge of honour - calling themselves "The Old Contemptibles", a name that stuck long after the war. Many soldiers continued to carry the 1903 Pattern bayonet throughout WW1 as a mark of distinction from the other "volunteer" soldiers.

This bayonet is made with a refitted 1888 Pattern blade by one of the most prolific makers, Enfield. This is a classic 1888 Pattern blade that has been retrofitted to the 1903 Pattern handle. The scabbard is made of black leather with exterior bottom and top mounts. There is no frog stud on the topmount indicating that a belt loop device would have been used. This bayonet is a perfect addition to any collection. Left Ricasso: Faded King George royal cipher, original blade manufacture date of "11-90" November, 1890, and "1903" new pattern mark.

Right Ricasso: Faded original "Crow Foot" government property mark, Enfield inspector's mark and "00" 1900 reinspection stamp. The 1903 markings include Rifle Factory Ishapore (RFI) inspector's mark "IG/721", A. " (unknown to me) and the new "X proof mark. Overall Length: 420 mm / 16½.

Blade Length: 305 mm / 12 in. Scabbard Length: 330 mm / 13 in. Muzzle Ring Diameter: 16.5 mm. Janzen's pg 57, #1.

The item "WW1 BRITISH 1903 PATTERN Bayonet & Scabbard P1888 Blade ENFIELD" is in sale since Sunday, September 8, 2019. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\WW I (1914-18)\Original Period Items\Germany\Edged Weapons".

The seller is "tanzer28" and is located in Windsor, Ontario. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Country/Region of Manufacture: Germany

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