The excellent single edged blade is 17 inches / 43 cm long and marked on the ricasso with the British broad arrow, bend test and four different Enfield inspection marks. The reverse ricasso bears a crown over GR (Georgius Rex) above 1907, date mark July 1917 and Sanderson makers mark.
The wooden grips are good and the spring mechanism works well. The bayonet comes complete with its original dark brown/black leather scabbard with two steel mounts. The steel throat is stamped with a struck out “R1733.” The leather is marked on the back with the broad arrow and J.W.B over 17. A girls (sweethearts?) name, “Ann” has been scratched onto the scabbard. The scabbard is strong and the stitching is intact. The scabbard shows signs of having been bent midway down. This is consistent with the wearer sitting while the scabbard was empty (waiting to go over the top?) The scabbard appears to have split at this point on both sides and has been well repaired. The damage is consistent with its age and tells the story of its use.
This is a great collectors’ bayonet.
