@flashie* wrote:This weeks challenge was a tough one.............I couldn't come up with anything.
BATTLES. ........................LOL
Sorry for the terrible images, but there is a great story behind this WW1 / WW2 bayonet.
As some of you know, hubby and I are antique collectors. Amongst many things, Swords and sword like items are one of our passions. We picked up this WW1/WW2 bayonet at an antiques store in QLD in 2014. Quiet cheaply too I might add.
When we got it home, I did some research on its markings.
Lithgow NSW had a Smalls Arms Factory which opened in 1912 to make weapons for WW1 for Australian Troops.
By WW2, it expanded and open smaller factories in Cowra and Orange.
The Factory in Orange often received broken rifle barrels and bayonets for repair and return to *battle* often using baynots from WW1 to refurbish and save on costs.
If a item was repaired, it was marked to show which factory had repaired it, and year of repair.
This Bayonet was originaly manufactured in 1907. It still has the original wooden handle (hard to tell from the pics)
It's had one repair which was done in Orange in 1941.
(I live in Orange, so I found this information remarkable)
When I get too old to treasure this item, I will donate it to our local historic museum.
Cheers folks
xxj
When I was a young lad I owned one of these...
Hurrah for Matchbox cars! Ha ha.
It has a spring in it, so you can fire the plastic projectiles that come with it (which very quickly get lost), but it's also big enough to fire matches.
Oh no, no, no... Never lit ones... That would be dangerous... Heh heh heh heh...
🙂
