A little help from the military historians please

[Hunt anything]

Can anyone identify this bayonet, not many markings on it and the ones present are fairly well worn, thanks.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

If the marks on the handle indicate opponents killed with bayonet, the owner must have been a very tough character!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

WW1 German bayonet

Clubs and Blades - German Bayonet | Canada and the First World War

Canada's contribution to the First World War led to growing autonomy and international recognition, but at great cost.

www.warmuseum.ca

 

[Hunt anything]

The bayonet I have has a canvas sheath, the one Ontario Hunter posted looks like it but not the sheath. My grandfather may have had the sheath made I don’t know. I feel like it is German because there was a German POW camp close to the town of Waynesboro Virginia that my father grew up in. They may have gotten it off of a guard or something.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

The bayonet I have has a canvas sheath, the one Ontario Hunter posted looks like it but not the sheath. My grandfather may have had the sheath made I don’t know. I feel like it is German because there was a German POW camp close to the town of Waynesboro Virginia that my father grew up in. They may have gotten it off of a guard or something.

Eventually as the war progressed material shortages, particularly metal, dictated that the German war dept cut corners. Switching to canvas sheath would make sense. I would say it would be HIGHLY unlikely a POW could smuggle a weapon like that across Europe and the Atlantic without it being detected.

Edit: It's also possible your bayonet sheath is only sheathed in canvas and the one in the photo simply had its canvas stripped away, either by the soldier or the elements or time.

 

[Hunt anything]

I didn’t think he got it off of a POW but from one of the GI’s stationed near by for clarification.

 

[TTundra]

Early 98 bayonets had leather scabbards. They broke or rotted away easily. Very well could be a handmade (possibly theater made) replacement scabbard. Looks well worn, so that would make sense.

 

[Hunt anything]

I was able to find a few more bits of information on the bayonet. Manufacturer was E&F Horster in Solingen, probably in the late 30s or as late as 1944. Also found some other markings. 125. R. 5.251. These numbers are on the finger guard. I found the manufacturer info on the internet so it has to be right (lol)