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Australian Commando Knives


copdoc
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Hi Everyone

 

Well I found a reason to post these pics here. This is an unusual knife and I would like to have as much information as possible on it. It was posted on several other forums to get this info.

 

Apparently it was made in Australia and used by Indian(Chindit)/British paratroopers in China Burma. The Indians copied it and these are referred to as Chindit bowies. My Uncle brought it back form the PTO and my cousin gave it to me. I had thought I had seen a "grouping" of an Australian radio operator from the PTO with a knife like this in it 30 years ago. Now I know it was a similar knife. It has the Indian broad arrow and was made in Australia.

 

Since it was brought back by my Uncle and is listed Michael Silvey's Knives of the United States Military World War II, I hope it is OK to post here.

 

Any further historical information or pics of other "Australian Commando Knives" would be appreciated.

 

 

I believe those knives are commonly referred to as "Australian Commando Knives". Michael Silvey's Knives of the United States Military World War II has a picture of the same knife you have. It's on page 55 of his book. Unfortunately, he does not identify the "WE" blade marking.

 

Known makers of these knives are Barker, East Bros., and Gregsteel (Cole: U.S. Military Knives, p 178.) There is also a reference to "U.S. 1944/Whittingslowe", which seems to be another manufacturer.

 

According to the militaryfightingknives website, Whittingslowe is another manufacturer and "WE" is one of their marks (7th knife down under the heading of "Aussie/New Zealand").

 

PS: Just found another link for you. It has pictures of a knife just like yours and also attributes "WE" to Whittingslowe.

__________________

Christopher Meyer, Shenipsit Forge

 

 

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WE is Whittingslowe, I have one just like it. These were common commercial made knives, carried by UK and US troops alike. Some were made under contract for US and UK forces; those are marked by the broadhead arrow and US. EK made a nice copy of these years ago before they went under.

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Thanks do you know about the Indian broad arrow? Was it put on by the company or by India? Were the US ones ordnance marked? Do you know of any references other than Silvery's book? Do you have a picture of yours?

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Charlie Flick
Thanks do you know about the Indian broad arrow? Was it put on by the company or by India? Were the US ones ordnance marked? Do you know of any references other than Silvery's book? Do you have a picture of yours?

 

Copdoc:

 

On books the best I have seen on British and Commonwealth blades is Ron Flook's. I am not at home now to check my copy but I believe these blades are shown in Flook's volume. Here is a link to Amazon selling the book:

 

http://www.amazon.com/British-Commonwealth...?tag=dogpile-20

 

I think MH Cole's Book III on US Military Knives also shows these blades, although not much info is given.

 

The US versions of these blades are marked US and dated, as I recall. The also had sheaths that had M1910 double hooks to allow them to be carried on US belts. If I get a chance I will take a pic of the East Bros. and Gregsteel versions which are US marked.

 

The US versions are very scarce in my experience. I have never seen a period photo of one of these blades carried by a US soldier or Marine.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

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Charlie Flick
Were the US ones ordnance marked? Do you have a picture of yours?

 

Copdoc:

 

This blade is not one of mine. I liberated the pic from an ebay auction as it illustrates the markings on the US version of these knives reasonably well, and it might be a while before I am able to take some pics of mine. This example by Gregsteel (Gregory Steel Products) is also marked US 1944.

 

HTH.

 

Regards,

Charlie Flick

 

Gregsteel_US_1944_Commando_Knfie.jpg

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Thanks for the pic Charlie. I have only seen one other that I remember and do not remember the blade marking.

 

Nuke, do you have any of them? Is it the Australian and Indian ones that are common? Can you post some pics?

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Thanks for the pic Charlie. I have only seen one other that I remember and do not remember the blade marking.

 

Nuke, do you have any of them? Is it the Australian and Indian ones that are common? Can you post some pics?

 

Mine has the WE marking and that's all, so it must have been a commercial purchase. I do find the India broadhead arrow mark unusual, since these were made in Australia, not India. I'm not sure how it would have ended up with the "I".

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Mine has the WE marking and that's all, so it must have been a commercial purchase. I do find the India broadhead arrow mark unusual, since these were made in Australia, not India. I'm not sure how it would have ended up with the "I".

 

I have become fascinated with these as I just had never noticed them before. From another web page the broad arrow I (Indian service) ones were purchased by the British for Chindit troops. There are apparently local copies and both are referred to as "Chindit bowies". (?) It would have been an easy knife to copy and a very funtional one. Some of his info came from the book Charlie suggested that I just ordered.

 

describes your pattern of knife (with the collector's terminology) as a "Chindit Bowie knife" and illustrates several different variations. All are similar to your in general design. He states they came in many differents variants other than to those shown in the book.

 

Now it appear that there were knives in this pattern, marked for US, British, Australian and Indian troops as well as not martially marked. I wonder if any were marked for Canada or South Africa? I also wonder how my Uncle got one. (?) He might have just traded a pack of cigarettes or a candy bar for it.

 

Thanks to both of you guys for the additional information.

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I just got Ron Flook's book and it is great. What a bargain in information for less than $30.

 

He has a pic of the same knife. It is listed under Australia but has the I (Indian acceptance mark) just like mine. He did not have the original sheath but a cut down sheath from a Chindit bowie.

 

Thanks for the information Guys.

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  • 9 months later...

This one was my grandfathers. It's been resharpened alot and the guard is missing but it looks to be the same. My grandmother said he was very proud of it.

 

He served with the 83rd recon battalion of the 3rd armored.

He said that he volunteered for training with the commandos over in England for what they told them were for suicide missions, but never had to do any. I was wondering if anyone else had heard of anything like that.

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  • 1 year later...

Look at the knife sticking out of the back pocket of this GI. These are U.S. combat engineers in Papua in 1943.

 

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This one is marked "US" on the guard...

 

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Ooooh, you lucky dog, what a sweet lookin' knife :thumbsup:. Tell me this was a yard sale pick up for $20 and I'll envy you even more ;).

 

Tim

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Ooooh, you lucky dog, what a sweet lookin' knife :thumbsup:. Tell me this was a yard sale pick up for $20 and I'll envy you even more ;).

 

Tim

 

Tim...I'm sorry...it was $10 :lol:

 

No, I wish. Actually, I waited too long and by the time I made up my mind, someone else had snatched it up. You snooze...you loose :ermm:

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  • 5 years later...
  • 1 year later...

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