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Knives & machetes in the military context . |
| There is a blurred line between bayonets, fighting knives and knives. Some would, could or do qualify in 2 or more categories. Machetes have also been issued (to PNG natives) in lieu of bayonets. |
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The standard Army issue (WW1 & WW2) 'jack' knife |
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Another version of 'bayonet' for the .303 Lee Enfield rifle of WW2 was the "fighting knife" style. It was not widely issued. |
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USA manufactured Australian issued "Buck knife". Note the Broad arrow stamp. |
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| UK version (L1A3) of the SLR bayonet. Some of this version were issued in Australia |
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| This is an English machete made by Martindale of Birmingham. Note the heavy counterbalanced head. Canvas and webbing sheath. |
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| The counterbalanced head on this model is even more pronounced. Canvas, metal & webbing sheath. |
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This is a USAAF (WW2) survival machete. Leather case. |
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WWII Australian made fighting knife. It is similar in style and size to the US V-44 knife. |
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Knuckle Knife with
Scabbard:
A.B. M Berryman RAN, Z-Special Operation Jaywick (Z-Force) |
| Steel;
Alloy; Leather; Knuckle Knife with Scabbard. The two piece slab sided
alloy hilt is riveted on to the tang and is a knuckle duster grip with
four finger holes. The blade is double edged with a spear point. The
leather scabbard with a button-down knife retention strap encloses half
of the grip and has two cuts in the back tongue for a belt. There are no
makers marks but has 93-2214 in black ink on the belt tongue.
This pattern of knife was issued to S.R.D. operatives on board the M.V. Krait on Operation Jaywick, but not carried by them in the canoes on the raid into Singapore Harbour. This particular knife belonged to Able Seaman Moss Berryman RAN. Fellow Jaywick member Ron Morris elaborates: "During training we used just about every type of weapon it was possible to conceive including mortars, hand grenades, Owen sub machine guns, along with Stens and Bren gun. In addition to firearms we used quite a variety of other potentially lethal weapons such as a knuckle duster sheath blade with the short, extremely sharp pointed blade facing inwards for a follow up thrust into the abdomen after a downward facial blow with the knuckle duster section - a formidable weapon but fortunately not used in reality. On the actual trip most of these weapons were available and although not actually carried on deck they were always available immediately." |
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Whittingslowe Fighting Knife. Light weight commando dagger featuring double edged spear point, flattened oval crossguard and cast alloy ribbed hilt. The knife is very similar to the British Fairbairn- Sykes commando knife but differs in having a pronounced ricasso and rounded pommel. One side of the ricasso is stamped D^D / WE; the reverse is stamped 1^. |
| Blade
length: 192 (mm); Overall length: 322 (mm).
Associated with the service of NX77259 Lieutenant Richard A Littlejohn, who served with the 56th Militia Battalion during the 1930s, later transferring to the commandoes. Littlejohn initially trained with 1 Independent Cavalry (Commando) Squadron and later served with 2/7 Australian Cavalry Commando Regiment. |
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Stainless
steel; Mark III Sicut knife. Fixed blade chisel ground survival knife.
This knife was carried in the survival kit (REL30513.003) by an Australian Special Air Services (SAS) Regiment trooper in Afghanistan, 2002. |
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Kukri and Scabbard : Donor; Squadron Leader M C C Cotton, RAAF, 17 Squadron RAF Owner; 407041 Squadron Leader M C C Cotton DFC, RAAF. |
| Kukri
with a hilt that has a carved wooden grip encasing the tang back from
the ferrule and no cross-guard. It has a 15mm band at the mid-point of
the grip with a carved ornamental star and zigzag pattern. Beneath this
is a carved flange which flares out from the grip. It is chipped in
three places. The grip flares to a disc shaped flat pommel. The pommel
has been chipped at a point aligned with the back of the blade. The
blade is forward angled, single edge. There are no maker or other
distinguishing marks. The leather scabbard has two built in smaller
pockets, and another small pouch sewn onto the exterior of the scabbard
over the pockets. One of these pockets contains a small sharpener which
has a bare tang with resin residue. The small pouch contains a
removable, leather, lining sleeve.
This kukri belonged to 407041 Squadron Leader M C C Cotton DFC, RAAF. When the donor was Commanding Officer of 17 Squadron RAF, in Burma and India in 1942-1943, the pilots were issued with an escape kit which included the kukri. He ordered that a fabric harness be made for his pilots, that would enable them to carry this equipment without it obstructing their movements in the cockpits of the Hurricane 2c fighter aircraft they were equipped with. The kukri was worn aligned with the spine of the pilot underneath his parachute, with the handle protruding above. The harness which the kukri and its scabbard fitted into was designed not to hinder the operation of the parachute. A pilot could use the kukri to hack his way through the jungle if he was forced to bale-out, or crashed. The kukri was favoured over other types of similar knives because it was small enough to be comfortable to carry down a pilot's back, yet very effective in operation. According to the donor, the two small pockets in the side of the kukri scabbard were for two whet stones for sharpening the blade but these were never present in any of the kukris issued to the squadron. (However, one of these sharpeners was found deep inside one of the small pockets by Australian War Memorial staff but it had no handle and was not easily detectible). The donor also claims there was nothing in the small pouch also attached to the scabbard, other than the sleeve mentioned in the description. |
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