Pattern 07 Bayonet & Scabbard

Pattern 1907 bayonet and scabbard. The hilt has a straight muzzle ring crossguard, two piece wooden grips held to the tang by two screw bolts and the pommel has a T section mortice slot and a push button locking catch. The pommel is stamped 'A' over '4415'. The single edged blued blade has a fuller on each side to within 80mm from the point. The ricasso is marked with the Lithgow 1907 shield over '1.21' (January 1921) ''LITHGOW' on the left and proof marks on the right. The scabbard has a blued chape and locket, with a button frog stud, attached by wire staples to the dark brown front and back stitched leather body. The front is stamped 'LITHGOW', a star proof mark and 1921.

The Pattern 1907 bayonet was made for use with the Lee Enfield .303 rifle. The introduction of the Pattern 1907 bayonet was approved on 30 January 1908. The inspiration for the bayonet came from the 1906/07 Trials Japanese Pattern Type 30 Arisaka bayonet. All Pattern 07 bayonets manufactured up to 1913 featured a hooked quillon. A British order of 29 October 1913 directed the removal of the hooked quillon from the crosspiece and resulted in a new pattern of the 1907 bayonet being sealed, although there was no advance in the mark number for the new look bayonet. Many of the earlier models had their hooked quillons removed during repair. Despite the order of 1913, the Australian production of hooked quillon bayonets continued at Lithgow until 1916. Overall more than 5 million Pattern 07 bayonets were produced by manufacturers in England, Australia, India and the USA and issued to Australian, British and Commonwealth forces during the First and Second World Wars. This bayonet was made at the Lithgow Small Arms Factory in 1921. The double stitched scabbard was only made in 1920 and 1921.