Bayonet Question

[pzrwest]

What is the purpose of the hole in the handle of German bayonets shown in the picture below? Thank you in advance.....

[Jeff Noll]

Bayonet question.

It is a cleaning hole. It doesn't seem like it would be very effective but that is what it is.

[phild]

It is a cleaning hole. It doesn't seem like it would be very effective but that is what it is.

You may well be correct and it may be identified as that in the period German manuals, I don't know. I had always understood these as simply drain holes for rain water for instance, to keep water from standing in this cleaning rod channel. I could also see the case if the pommel got jammed into mud the hole would allow a little better way to flush some if out.