copdoc Posted July 10, 2008 Share #1 Posted July 10, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke41 Posted July 11, 2008 Share #2 Posted July 11, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copdoc Posted July 11, 2008 Author Share #3 Posted July 11, 2008 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Flick Posted July 12, 2008 Share #4 Posted July 12, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Flick Posted July 12, 2008 Share #5 Posted July 12, 2008 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copdoc Posted July 13, 2008 Author Share #6 Posted July 13, 2008 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copdoc Posted July 13, 2008 Author Share #7 Posted July 13, 2008 PS I just ordered the book. Thanks for the info on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke41 Posted July 14, 2008 Share #8 Posted July 14, 2008 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". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copdoc Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share #9 Posted July 14, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copdoc Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share #10 Posted July 17, 2008 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmCapp Posted May 5, 2009 Share #11 Posted May 5, 2009 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmCapp Posted May 5, 2009 Share #12 Posted May 5, 2009 A few more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK101 Posted May 5, 2009 Share #13 Posted May 5, 2009 Nice, I have a PTO theater made knife that came in a sheath thta was made for those blades Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK101 Posted May 6, 2009 Share #14 Posted May 6, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbarrel Posted May 16, 2010 Share #15 Posted May 16, 2010 This one is marked "US" on the guard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbarrel Posted May 16, 2010 Share #16 Posted May 16, 2010 Look at the knife sticking out of the back pocket of this GI. These are U.S. combat engineers in Papua in 1943. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsellati Posted May 16, 2010 Share #17 Posted May 16, 2010 This one is marked "US" on the guard... 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbarrel Posted May 16, 2010 Share #18 Posted May 16, 2010 Here is a WE knife with the I with arrow mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbarrel Posted May 16, 2010 Share #19 Posted May 16, 2010 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 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: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elyisum Posted May 16, 2010 Share #20 Posted May 16, 2010 The British broad arrow mark is called a pheon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbarrel Posted May 16, 2010 Share #21 Posted May 16, 2010 Thanks, Elyisum! :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jw517 Posted November 12, 2015 Share #22 Posted November 12, 2015 What is a fair price for a good Whittings Lowe combat knife marked 1944? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jw517 Posted November 12, 2015 Share #23 Posted November 12, 2015 I ask because I see one in a local auction and no nothing of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jw517 Posted November 12, 2015 Share #24 Posted November 12, 2015 Pic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pbaczuk Posted March 19, 2017 Share #25 Posted March 19, 2017 Here is mine, it is unmarked. It has a crude black painted hand guard/hilt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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