'military' KUKRI for comment

[thinreadline]

This is a kukri I bought from a family who claimed it had belonged to the father who had served in Burma in WW2 . Whilst the khaki cloth scabbard cover certainly loooks military and the size and weight of the weapon make it a formidable weapon , it does not conform to any of the official military patterns . It has the number 445 stamped on the blade but no other markings. Its weight without scabbard is 520 g , and its total length over the curve is 42 cm with the greatest width of the blade being 5 cm.

[spiral]

Nice kukri,

Could be a private purchase, or A unit purchased piece, possibly even unit manufactured. {usualy at Battalion level.} Could be ww2 or earlier kukri with a ww2 scabbard..

To be more certain, can you do a good close ups of the numbers & also a photo of the small knives as well please.

Spiral

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by spiral

Nice kukri,

Could be a private purchase, or A unit purchased piece, possibly even unit manufactured. {usualy at Battalion level.} Could be ww2 or earlier kukri with a ww2 scabbard..

To be more certain, can you do a good close ups of the numbers & also a photo of the small knives as well please.

Spiral

Thanks Spiral .. thats interesting . Pic of the small knives as requested... just cant get a decent pic of the numbers in close up sorry.

[sirupate]

Hello Thinreadline,

TRL;official military patterns

I believe you are talking about the Mk issued kukri?
All I.A., Regimental or Battalion issue kukri are 'Official' kukri.
Your rather nice find is a typical regimental issue kukri, post 1919, pre 1919 battalions would often have their own kukri made.
After 1919 due to re-organisation they would be regimental issue, and when times required due to an influx of recruits due to the WW's for example I.A. kukri which includes Mk issue were distributed as needs arose (sometimes Battalions opted for Mk issue).
The kind of scabbard the kukri is in, was in use both pre and during WW2, one thing for sure is that it is genuine!! Cheers Simon
PS If the person that owned it was not in the Gurkhas, he could have acquired it off a Gurkha, not unknown!!

[thinreadline]

Originally Posted by sirupate

Hello Thinreadline,

I believe you are talking about the Mk issued kukri?
All I.A., Regimental or Battalion issue kukri are 'Official' kukri.
Your rather nice find is a typical regimental issue kukri, post 1919, pre 1919 battalions would often have their own kukri made.
After 1919 due to re-organisation they would be regimental issue, and when times required due to an influx of recruits due to the WW's for example I.A. kukri which includes Mk issue were distributed as needs arose (sometimes Battalions opted for Mk issue).
The kind of scabbard the kukri is in, was in use both pre and during WW2, one thing for sure is that it is genuine!! Cheers Simon
PS If the person that owned it was not in the Gurkhas, he could have acquired it off a Gurkha, not unknown!!

Thanks Simon .. that is very reassuring , this means that I will keep it ! I am told that the owner was a Chindit in the Duke of Wellingtons Regiment.
Richmond

[spiral]

The small knives are ww2 era, Hard to date kukri more exactlly without bieng able to study the font.

Despite Simons statement ,Some battalions still made or bought thier own kukri during ww2 due to supply difficulities during ww2 with the main pattern kukri.This is well documented.

If the number matches the Duke of Welligntons it was probably private purchase, stamped in the bazzar or kukri factors front shop.Due you have the soldiers surname? ill check his records.

Personaly i expect Gurkha.Kuamon or Garhwall regiment history is more likely.But Ive been mistaken on occasion.

Spiral

[spiral]

Generaly I ignore Simon Hengle of Tora Replica kukri supplies, as life is to short to waste on such things ,but a request for documentry evidence I do view as legitamate on this occasion.

I wish he would also supply documentry evidence of his statements.

Jonathan Sedwell AKA spiral

Originally Posted by sirupate

Your rather nice find is a typical regimental issue kukri, post 1919, pre 1919 battalions would often have their own kukri made.
After 1919 due to re-organisation they would be regimental issue, and when times required due to an influx of recruits due to the WW's for example I.A. kukri which includes Mk issue were distributed as needs arose (sometimes Battalions opted for Mk issue)

To which I stated...

Originally Posted by spiral

Despite Simons statement ,Some battalions still made or bought thier own kukri during ww2 due to supply difficulities during ww2 with the main pattern kukri.This is well documented.
Spiral

Hence Simon Hengles request....

Originally Posted by sirupate

Proof of documentation please Jonathan.

A legitamate request... quite a reliable source realy.

The Official Regimental history of the 8th Gurkha Rifles.

By Leutenant-Colonel H.J. Huxford.

Published in 1952 ,


Or a more amusing source.

Originally Posted by sirupate

The use of outside Manufactures by Battalions was of course pretty common.

FromLinky... {Bottom of second page.}



Jonathan Sedwell AKA spiral

[sirupate]

Generaly I ignore Simon Hengle of Tora Replica kukri supplies,

Thanks for the advert Jonathan

Or a more amusing source.

Ah an article from four years ago, re-search still ongoing and views and opinions change.

The Official Regimental history of the 8th Gurkha Rifles. By Leutenant-Colonel H.J. Huxford. Published in 1952

A very rare book, which seems to be your main source, as you have posted scanned pictures of the text you refer to in other books in the past, could you do the same again Jonathan?