Knuckle knife and scabbard : Sergeant E T Davis, Far Eastern Liaison Office (FELO)

Australian Second World War fighting or knuckle knife and scabbard. The hilt is clearly marked with, 'D broad arrow D' and is made of heavy cast alloy. Impressed on the hilt is, 'broad arrow over 788' and 'broad arrow C'. The blade is short, double edged with a tapering central spine, secured with the tang fitting into a recessed channel and fixed with two rivets. Impressed on the tang is, 'broad arrow over 446'. The leather scabbard has a button-down knife retention strap and and has two cuts in the back tongue for a belt. It is marked with the manufacturer's name, 'BONNEY & CLARK LTD. MAKERS'.

Carried by Sergeant E T Davis, Far Eastern Liaison Office (FELO). Edward Thomas Davis was born in Sydney in 1923. It would appear that Mr Davis gave a false birth date in order to enlist in the AIF in 1943. In addition, despite being in the merchant navy at the time, he gave his occupation as 'farmhand' so that he might be accepted into the army. Sergeant Davis served with FELO and was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for his 'courage, initiative & devotion Feb/June, 1945'. It is understood that Sergeant Davis volunteered to take his vessel past a section of coastline in order to draw fire in an effort to determine the positions of enemy land forces. Sergeant Davis received his discharge in May 1946.

• Scabbard : Sergeant E T Davis, Far Eastern Liaison Office (FELO)