1888 MkI

Very distinctive 3 rivet grip with cleaning hole in the grips

first type

1888 MkI ptII

Three rivet grip was reduced to 2 equal sized rivets due to problems with the grips on the ptI grips

1898 made blade

RR mark indicates reduced in status, there also appears to be a partially stamped removed from service stamp (facing WD arrows)

Cancelled pommel marks indicates that the blade was issued at least twice

Tang markings on 1888

1888 with RR ricasso mark, very distinctive grinding marks on the blade

Blade is unusual in having a completely blunt blade and no signs of sharpening

Naval marked with 1939 Navy pattern scabbard, point has been rounded for an unknown reason. These bayonets were used in the UK by Naval shore based troops during WWII

Wilkinson London made blade

Rounded blade point is professionally carried out

 Another Naval issue

Naval issue in WWII, "N" stamp on pommel and 1939 marks on scabbard

Markings of 1939 made scabbard

1888 MkII

A change in rifle to the Lee Enfield meant a change in the location of the cleaning hole from the hilt to the pommel, otherwise there is no change.

1888 MkIII

Grips were bolted to the rips rather than the earlier riveted. Some bayonets were made this way whilst others were reworks of earlier versions, these are not very common models.

1888 MkIII, made in late 1903 by Mole

Poor condition example of a less than common bayonet (my first 1888)

 1888 "VOLUNTEER"/commercial

Unmarked examples are often ascribed as volunteer bayonets, they may however be commercial examples. They are all devoid of military acceptance marks. Examples are:

Greener           - these were often made from parts supplied by other makers and can show marking for both Greener and the original maker, and may show both oil holes as grips and pommels were mixed (or possibly to allow fixing to both rifles). Greener also made complete bayonets which show only Greener markings

Unmarked       - Many "volunteer" blades have no markings at all, and show variations in the blade grinding.

Commercial     - Blades can be found marked to Ontex and other commercial sellers

Volunteer         - Marked to a military unit but without military acceptance marks, these may be officer purchases, or for militia/volunteer units

Variations in scabbards can be found, with brass instead of steel mounts, with external and internal chapes etc.

Pommel on Wilkinson made Volunteer 1888, marked to Devon regiment

Is this the same RR mark as seen on the pommel

Nice walnut grips

Sold from service mark and what appears to be a very ornate reduced back to back R marking

Blade marked Wilkinson London, but no military markings or bend test. Could this be a private purchase piece, this may account for the sold from service mark which is only normally applied to military pieces

1888 Volunteer model

Of interest on this model is the complete lack of cleaning hole

1888 Volunteer with the rare small muzzle ring

Brown skin scabbard and unmarked bayonet except for L seen on many of these, the only difference is the muzzle ring

1888 Volunteer by Greener, it has two oil holes due to the use of parts from multiple sources

Wilkinson marking on Ricasso, Patt 88 on pommel

Greener marks on Ricasso

Greener stamps on Tang of Volunteer

1888 Volunteer made by Greener, this one has both Greener made blade and Greener pattern scabbard, with throat screw

Unmarked volunteer 1888 pattern bayonet in modified 1907 pattern scabbard

Volunteer 1888

Hand made blade, with short ricasso and flat spine on Volunteer 1888

Volunteer 1888, no makers marks or inspection markings.

No cleaning hole in either the hilt or the pommel which is typical of many of the volunteers.

Muzzle ring has a very thin ring compared to normal 1888's.

Locket is brass with a copper wash and blacked over the top of this.

Chape is missing the end cap, however there there is no evidence of there having ever been one in place, this is one of a pair seen like this at the same time, so looks like this is as made.

1888 Volunteer made by Greener, this one has both Greener made blade and Greener pattern scabbard, with throat screw.

Pommel on Wilkinson made Volunteer 1888, marked to Devon regiment

Is this the same RR mark as seen on the pommel

Nice walnut grips

Sold from service mark and what appears to be a very ornate reduced back to back R marking

Blade marked Wilkinson London, but no military markings or bend test. Could this be a private purchase piece, this may account for the sold from service mark which is only normally applied to military pieces

1888 with RR marked for reduced in service, replacement grips look home made rather than arsenal, with steel pin rivets

A volunteer 1888 that has more than one interesting feature

The muzzle ring has been bushed to fit a 303 rifle, these are not common at all

Scabbard is very distinctive with an extra thick locket

and a sculpted mount and a very small frog stud, this is unlike any issue scabbard. the chape is a heavy iron mount rather than the thinner metal normally found

Frog is especially made for this scabbard, having a very small hole to grip the frog stud

This bayonet is very unusual and I have yet to talk to anyone who has seen another and it is not reported in any books

Commercial 1888

Marked to the Braendlin Armoury Co, normally a supplier of hunting rifles and pistols

Trade mark on opposite ricasso

Pommel has Pat 88 marking of commercial bayonets

only scabbard marking is this mark on the throat piece

HONG KONG

A Hong Kong Police (HKP) bayonet utilising a refinished UK 1888 and a German WWI Ersatz scabbard originally made by FAG. A seldom seen bayonet

The bayonet was originally sold from service as evident by the back to back WD arrows on the pommel.

Pommel marks match those on the scabbard.

The rework has been over existing damage to the blade and scabbard as original pitting and edge sharpening has been re blued.

New throat has been fitted to the

original FAG scabbard

MALTA

1st Kings Own Malta regiment UK 1888 MkI pt 2

1888 MkIII South African Made

Made by South African Railways (SAR).  

1941 date on the scabbard which I assume will be the approximate date of the manufacture of the whole item and not just the scabbard due to the SAS SAR name on both blade and scabbard. Hilt has screwed grips of the MkIII

SAR is South African Railways, in Afrikaans.it translates to Suid Afrikaanse Spoorwe (SAS) so marking is English and Afikaans.

The opposite side, are marked with 2 letters denoting which railway workshop they were made in, the EL represents the railway workshop at East London in the Cape province

Many thanks to Brian , Colin Amm and Jenny at Saaaca for the identification of the markings.

1902

Trials for a new bayonet for a new rifle (the SMLE) were carried out in 1902, a new hilt design was made and two blade lengths were tested both were based on the 1888 blade, one of the blades was a standard 1888 blade length the other a longer 15" blade. The shorter blade was chosen and produced as the 1903. The long bladed 1902 is very rare (375 made) and most examples I have heard of or seen are in very poor condition. I am not aware of any special markings for the short version which would have been identical to the 1903, and may account for some of the 1903's with pre 1902 dated blades.

1902 trials bayonet t

Comparison of the 1902 with the 1888, short 1902 would have been identical to the 1903

Ricasso marks limited to back to back R's for reduced condition of blade

Only other marking is an L on the tang, The condition of the blade and the fact that this was found in France may indicate that this blade may have actually issued and used during WWI although there is only speculation to this as there is nothing in the books to suggest this. The only other example I have seen was in only slightly better condition and had been found in a wall

1903

A new bayonet was required for the SMLE after the 1902 trials, the shorter blade was accepted and designated the 1903, the blade is identical to the 1888 and examples can be found with pre 1903 marked blades

Yorkshire light Infantry stamped out and remarked to Life Guards

Scabbard throat mark has same weapon number as pommel

Near mint condition with all marks clearly stamped

1906 manufacture date

1903 marked scabbard

Leather frog

1903 produced using 1888 blade, with dark blued blade

'00 manufacture date on the 1903

M1903

1903 VOLUNTEER

1903 Volunteer, completely unmarked

1903 Volunteer scabbard, again unmarked

With internal chape

1903 Volunteer model

Mole made version of blade, has no acceptance or date stamps, often volunteer blades are even without makers marks

Grips do show Enfield inspection marks

Scabbard is leather covered (pig skin) wood, with copper washed locket with only single rivet (instead of normal 3)

Internal chape

FOREIGN USAGE

Many UK friendly countries used the 1888 or 1903 pattern bayonets with examples made in/for Afghanistan in both short and long blade versions. I have seen references for use by Egypt, Iran, Afghanistan, India (who kept using the 1903 after the 1907 came into service preferring the shorter blade), and Turkey (1903). There is also reports of the 1903 in German use during WWI

AFGHANISTAN

They used not only UK produced blades but also had a short and long bladed variations these will be found with an Ornate Afghan crest on the ricasso, or unmarked and more crudely made locally made ones

1888 with long blade, peculiar to Afghanistan, has Afghan marking on blade and no UK markings at all. Blade has a very wide spine similar to some of the UK volunteer models and the edge is completely unsharpened. Scabbard has integral chape and frog stud on the locket.

Afghan marked 1888, probably locally made looking at quality, although better than many it still shows very obvious machining marks. There is no cleaning hole in the hilt or pommel, but crossguard is marked and there is a distinctive ricasso marking, though not he same marking as reported in Skennerton or seen on other Afghan 88's in the texts. The crudity of the manufacture is shown on the locking stud and rough grinding seen in some areas

Locally made 1888 this has a cleaning hole in the hilt, which is not very common and few have been noted, markings are limited to a scratched X on the ricasso - maybe a passing link to the UK bend mark?  Scabbard on this has had a localised repair carried out at some time in the past. Although well made it is obviously of lower quality than the UK made examples

Afghan marked 1888, probably locally made looking at quality, although better than many it still shows very obvious machining marks. There is no cleaning hole in the hilt or pommel, but crossguard is marked and there is a distinctive ricasso marking, though not he same marking as reported in Skennerton or seen on other Afghan 88's

1903, the crown over VR or ER normally seen on these has been replaced by the royal Afghan cipher. This stamping is reported on both long and short blade 1888's but never on the 1903. The blade is clearly marked as Enfield made (efd)

UK 1903 Volunteer with what I have take to be Afghan tang marks

Hilt, blade is unmarked except for writing on tang and Wilkinson London makers mark

Unknown script on tang

Both visible tangs are marked with different text

Wilkinson London marked

EGYPT

UK manufactured blades used by Egyptian units

Arabic serial on pommel of UK 1903, thought to be Egyptian