This knife, with a wooden grip, was developed for tropical service, eg North Africa and SE Asia. Stamped 'William // Rodgers // Sheffield' on the top of the grip, this knife has an external pommel button and is the only one I have seen so far to have the maker's name stamped into the grip, most being completely plain.
A good photograph exists in Ron Flook's excellent book British Commonwealth and Military Knives, showing a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot being debriefed at a front line airfield in France shortly after D-Day. It appears to be strapped to his Mae West life jacket.
The blade (7" long) has 85% of its original blue finish, with the factory grind marks clearly visible on all surfaces. The scabbard is a little frail and has a sizeable tear in one corner by the belt loop and water damage to the base of the scabbard which reveals the blade when it is in place. The tang within the pommel button appears to be some 2mm short; the hole was filled with dirty old wax, which I have cleaned out, but I have no reason to believe that this set up is other than original and, in any case, the clear William Rodgers stamp makes up for these defects. The leather scabbard is also stamped 'MADE IN // SHEFFIELD ENG.'
If you want to comment on this item—re quality, age, etc—please email me.
[Edged Weapons : Dirks : British : 20th Century]
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