Scabbard Markings

[37patt]

I finally found an early style MkI Ross bayonet that fits my MkII*.

Bayonet is nicely marked    9 - 10   and it has a number 8 over the date, does anyone know what the 8 would indicate?

My other question is about the markings on the scabbard. On the back of the frog portion is stamped:

                                          W4   11
                                               90
                                             W  R
                                              395

Is it possible that the WR indicates the Wellington Rifles or Winnipeg Rifles or is it some other mark? In addition do the rest of the marks mean anything to the anyone out there?

The bayonet and scabbard are otherwise nicely marked with various inspector marks several large 'C' Broad Arrows and a nice 1909 date on the scabbard back (although there is no manufacturer mark visible).

Thanks for any help.

[Staffy]

Hi 37patt,
         There is the problem. As you say W.R. can stand for both units, but also the Wentworth Regt. and the prefix for Western University! Maybe, in the absence of other information, a dead end.

[Staffy]

Hi again 37patt,
           Had a thought the W 4 may give a clue, possibly the Military District.
           But, The Wellington Rifles are in District 1, Wentworth Regt. in District 2 and Winnipeg Rifles in District 10. No unit in District 4, nor District 11, comes close to the abbreviations.
           Possibly the 4  11 could be the month and year if issue and the marks on the scabbard and frog refer to the manufacturer, which is more likely.

[37patt]

Thank you very much Staffy.

Even you have run into the same problem I did, to many units with the same initials and not the right areas of the country. I starting to get a feeling that the marks may not even relate to a unit but to something completely different.

It's kind of what I was afraid would happen with my request - there is now so much we will probably never know after the passage of over 100 years - however, I will continue to keep an eye out for anything relating to the marks, one just never knows what will come up.

Eric