M1905 Bayonet in Tunisia?

[kilgarvan]

Hello,

 

Does anybody have any pics or documentation of the First Infantry Division using the 16" M 1905 bayonet with their M1's in North Africa? Tunisia?

 

I have an ordinance report from July 1943 for the 1st ID that only lists bayonets as the M1905. Would they have been cut down or the full 16"?

 

Thanks.

 

 

[bayonetman]

The first deliveries of the M1 bayonet were in April 1943 and it was at least 3 months before any began to be shipped overseas to replace the 16 inch M1905. An Ordnance report in England from December 1943 indicated that M1 bayonets had been received but not yet issued - the only ones on issue were the M1905.

 

Ordnance was pretty careful about inventory and nomenclature - if the report said M1905 you can be reasonably certain that they were referring to the 16 inch blade.

 

The report from July 1943 would certainly be for the 16 inch blade. M1 bayonets, whether made as such or shortened, could not have gotten to North Africa in time to have been used there. I have not seen a photo of a 10 inch bayonet even in Operation Husky, and I doubt that the M1 bayonet was in action until at least the invasion at Salerno.

[MattS]

As I understand it, the long bayonets were generally carried on the left side of the M-1928 haversack. This allowed the rifleman, Garand in his right hand, to reach over his left shoulder and remove and affix the bayonet.

[Charlie Flick]

Kilgarvin:

 

I don't know if these guys are 1st Infantry Division or not. They are described in the caption as Military Police guarding German officer POWs in Morocco in 1942. The M1903 rifles and M1905 bayonets provide the necessary incentive for the prisoners to not "do anything stupid".

 

Regards,

Charlie

 

 

[Misfit 45]

Here's a pic of a 1917 Haversack with the placement of a Model of 1905 bayonet. Which may have been used during the early part of the war.

Marv

[kilgarvan]

Thanks guys!