My favorite bayonet do you like it ?

[Blade69]

Hi I bought this 1848 Brunswick bayonet it was a awful mess of a relic I have restored it. It had a bent loose guard and blade was full of rust. But now I think she looks beautiful what you think ??

[SARGE]

Nice work and a hard to find scabbard to boot.  

 

[Blade69]

Thanks yes very lucky find hardly ever see them come up for sale in Australia. In fact bayonet collecting in general hard in Australia compared to other countries 

Sarge you seem to know A lot I have a question. As you know the German sawback butcher bayonet was baned half way through WW1. My question is why wasn't the British Martini Henry sawback also baned 

[SARGE]

Good question Blade69.  

 

As you undoubtedly know the sawback blade was produced for use as a tool as much as a weapon.  For instance, German KS98s and S98/05s (Butcher blade) sawback bayonets were issued to MG crews so they could use them to quickly clear a field of fire of brush in front of their gun emplacement.  However, Allied propaganda had it that they inflicted grievous wounds and they should be banned by the Germans and another indication of German barbarity.  Propaganda further told stories of German soldiers who were executed on the spot (instead of being taken prisoner) if found with sawback bayonets.  This propaganda had a bad effect on front line German troops who were armed with these bayonets.  The German High Command issued an order in 1918 that sawbacks be removed from service by front line troops and they be re-issued regular bayonets in their stead.  German Armorers then began to remove the saws from the blades by grinding them off existing bayonets as an official modification.  Unaltered sawbacks were still allowed to be worn by soldiers serving behind the lines for the duration of the war.  

 

I hope this is helpful.

 

 

[Blade69]

Thanks Sarge. And I wish you and your family a merry Christmas

[RRA227]

Nice bayonet.  Rich A. in Pa.