New Knife

[copdoc]

While visiting my cousin, he showed me some of my Uncle's stuff from WWII.

My cousin gave me the WE marked knife in the pic. There is an "I" below the broad arrow it appears.

Can anyone held ID this knife? I know I have seen one before but could not find a pic on the net.

[Adrian Stevenson]

The "I" beneath the Broad Arrow would denote Indian I think.

Cheers, Ade.

[copdoc]

Thanks Ade

I wondered if it meant "Indian" or or "one". I thought I had seen a knife described as Australian that was very similar. I googled of course but when you put in "WE" and "knife" you get a lot of entries.

[mietek]

"I" is Indian.
Your knife looks as copy/indian version of RAF survival knife:
http://www.army-surplus.co.uk/milita...val-knife.html

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Copdoc, I got my copy of Ron Flook's book "British & Commonwealth military knives" out of the bookshelf. He 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.

Cheers, Ade.

[copdoc]

Thanks Guys

Thanks Ade
"Chindit Bowie knife" now that gives me something very specific. It is not a very expensive knife to make but I had never seen one. Any idea as to the age and who the manufacturer "WE" might be. My Uncle had a footlocker full of unusual knives. I should have photographed them all. He was in WWII (early in the PTO) and Korea and then retired or would have been sent to Viet Nam. Said he figured he had used up his luck.

I'll look up the book.

[Adrian Stevenson]

The knife is WW2 in date. Sorry no idea on the maker.

Cheers, Ade.

[copdoc]

Thank Ade

A quick google revealed very lttle except one for sale. It did not say if it was marked. I wondered about the WE mark on a knife made in India.

I is a very crude knife but appears to be very significant historically.

Thanks again
Doc

[copdoc]

For any interested

I found a bit more info on it on another forum. I had thought I had seen one in a grouping of an Austrailian WWII radio operator with a Jungle carbine but it was about 30 some years ago. It appears this one was made in Australia for the Indian Chindit troops and local Indian shops copied the pattern. This turned out to be a facscinating knife and I am sure ther is some more info somewhere. I am not sure why it was in Michael Silvey's Knives of the United States Military World War II. (US issue? does not make sense yet) I wish I could ask my Uncle how he got it.

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.