FS Fighting Knives

[gregM]

--well I just picked up my new FS. It is a 2nd pattern marked B2.
The bad thing is that some idiot took a polishing wheel to it
So I do not know if it was originally blackened or not. I don't think that
it was because there is absolutely no evidence of any remaining black
and there is only 1 set of clamp marks on the nut. so I doubt it has been
apart. I think it was starting to rust. Anyway the price was right. I
got this and a 3rd pattern for $160

Greg

[britpc]

Hi Greg,

That's a shame. Yes it would have been blued. I don't know of any nickel 2nd patterns marked with arrow B2. Still, $160 for both knives can't be bad! What was the 3rd pattern like? I've just done a deal for a 2nd pattern with the WS & FS etchings. The price was great so the condition isn't good, should have it next week all things being equal.
Have a look back at my frame with the 3rd patterns in. Notice anything strange about the one in the centre??
Irv

[gregM]

Hi Greg,

Notice anything strange about the one in the centre??
Irv

You mean except the fact that it was also polished?
The 3rd is nothing at all to brag about. #2 mold mark, machine ground
blade, heavy cross guard marked ENGLAND. -- Just a filler piece.

[britpc]

Nice about the blade, not so nice about the 'England' stamp

The 3rd pattern I was pointing out isn't polished. The grip, nut and crossguard have been coated in a yellow plating (gold, who knows). The blade is hand ground and the crossguard is marked arrow B2. What is nice about this mucked about knife is the etchings on the blade. It is marked to a Lt V.J.J. and starts at the top with a date of 1940. It go's from Pirbright on to Stornaway, Lofoten, Newhaven, Jalna, Jahazari, Imphal, Ramnee, kyaukpyo (hard to read), Chitagong, Calcutta, (can't read next one), back to London and end date of 1945. If only I could trace this Lt V.J.J.
He must have been army commando to have been on the Lafoten islands raid. Pirbright was a staging post, Stornaway was a training area and Ramnee are another set of islands off the cost of Burma, I found that out from my uncle who was on the same raid! Not a great knife but it has loads of history attached.
Irv

You mean except the fact that it was also polished?
The 3rd is nothing at all to brag about. #2 mold mark, machine ground
blade, heavy cross guard marked ENGLAND. -- Just a filler piece.

[britpc]

2

[britpc]

3

[britpc]

4

[britpc]

Hi John,
You can still pick up these patches quite easily. Not to expensive. But watch out for the fakes You just can't get away from them, what ever you collect.
Irv

Thanks again Irv,

How rare are the WW II era Combined Ops. patches of the Army and Navy?
Regards,
John

[John Hodgin]

Thanks Irv,

I have a printed one that is authentic. Interesting about Stornaway, my dad was there a while, but with the RAF.
Best,
John

[britpc]

I haven't seen any of the printed one's. Can you post a picture?
Irv

Thanks Irv,

I have a printed one that is authentic. Interesting about Stornaway, my dad was there a while, but with the RAF.
Best,
John

[John Hodgin]

Here it is,

[britpc]

Thanks John, nice patch.

Irv

[Tony Farrell]

He joined the Royal Marines in 1938 and went on to ships company. Came back to the UK in 1942 to do his commando training. He had a great carreer. Left in 1972!

Hi Irv. Thirty-four years' service? Blimey. What happend to his gongs? Any chance of a look?

[britpc]

Hi Irv. Thirty-four years' service? Blimey. What happend to his gongs? Any chance of a look?

Hi Tony,
There by hangs a story
They are in the family display RM museum at Eastney in Portsmouth. If you go upstairs to the medal room, turn left and they were on the displays on the wall with his fathers who was in for thirty years as well (they were the last time I was there). He lent them to the museum for that display a while ago. He was then going to be on a parade and wanted them back to wear. This is when they told him that he had given them to the museum and he couldn't have them back!!!!
I've told him to take it further, but he won't
He has (I think) about eight medals. I would have to try and find the list to make sure what they all where, but to my knowledge he has the war medal, 1939-1945 star, Atlantic star, France Germany star, long service medal, Bordeo campain medal with the Brunie bar (maybe Sarawat as well), Northern Ireland campain medal (not sure if this is a bar)( did two tours of Ireland! And got blown up in a vehicle!). I may have missed some, but that is not far out. He never got the Defence medal because he was ships company when the war broke out. Only coming back for his commando training. He was ships company guarding the backs of the Army commandos who went on the Norway raids. Tells a great story about firing a 16 inch shell at a plane!!??!! I think he was attached to 4Cdo before he was commando trained.
As I said, he was on HMS Rodney on the Bismark engagement, nearly landed at Dieppe! Got called off at the last moment when they realised it was going bad. Did North atlantic convoys. Landed on Sword beach on D-day, went all the way through Europe/Germany until the end of the war. Ended the war as a Sgt, was promoted to Lt in the fifties, ended up as a Captain. He's still alive, I think he's 82 and still going strong.
But getting back to your question of the medals I won't be able to get my hands on them
Now my uncle, who did about the same time, and most of all the other things the Royal Marines were involved in, his medals are still in his possession! I have asked him to but a note in his will that they come to me when he dies, hopfully not for a while yet. Now he has some great stories.
He ended his service as 'First drill' at CTCRM. That's one down from God.
Irv

[David C]

. He lent them to the museum for that display a while ago. He was then going to be on a parade and wanted them back to wear. This is when they told him that he had given them to the museum and he couldn't have them back!!!!

What! Even if he had 'given' them they should have the decency to hand them back to him if he so wishes.

I would strongly urge you to get him to take this further. I'd have thought that an article in the local paper should be enough to embarrass them into giving them back.

Irv: What would you say on these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...sPageName=WDVW

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...sPageName=WDVW

Cheers,
David.