Bayonet, Pattern 1907, No. 1 Mark I. - Chromed

Pattern 07 bayonet. The hilt has a short quillon muzzle ring crossguard, two piece wooden grips held to the tang by two screw bolts. The birds head shape pommel, with an oil drain hole, has a T section mortise slot and a push button locking catch. The single edged blade has a fuller on each side to within 80mm from the point. It is stamped on the ricasso with Lithgow proof marks and 5'42 with 1/47/R on the pommel. Overall chromium plated.

This bayonet was manufactured in May 1942 and subsequently refurbished in 1947. It has been chromium plated for parade purposes. The Pattern 1907 sword 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 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 sword 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.