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Fighting knives used by British commandos and SOE during WW2 |
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Fairbairn-Sykes
fighting knife -
The 2nd
Pattern knives
with the logotype of Wilkinson Sword.
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Text and pictures by
Olof Janson unless otherwise stated. |
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Special honour should be given to:
-
Robert Wilkinson-Latham,
-
Ron Flook,
- Roy Shadbolt.
Who
have given me much assistance.
On the picture to the left:
LeeEnfield SMLE NoI MkIII
F-S 2nd Pattern and 1st
Pattern
Patches are Combined
Operation and No 2 Commando
and Badge of LRDG |
updated
2013-02-09
1941
|
1941
the design was simplified and it was called the 'New Pattern' in
Wilkinson Sword Contract Book and Pall Mall Works Orders. Today we call this
model the
2nd
Pattern.
This
pattern was made between 12th of August 1941 until the end of 1943.
Still the blade was drop-forged and sharpened by hand. |
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The
ricasso was changed to an all diamond sectioned
blade, bright blade
2nd
Pattern to the left and 1st Pattern to the right.
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with same hilt
but straight cross guard.
2nd Pattern to the
left and 1st Pattern to the right.
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Wilkinson
Sword changed from the 2nd model to the later 3rd
model at the end of October 1943.
There were also other manufacturers beside Wilson Sword from this 2nd
Pattern.
Still the blade was drop-forged and sharpened by hand. |
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From top to bottom all
knives with F-S logo:
1st Pattern ,
2nd
Pattern
all white
,
2nd Pattern all black
and
bottom
3rd
all black Pattern. |
Wilkinson Sword made F-S Fighting knives with
logo-type.
2nd Pattern:
F-S Fighting knives without Wilkinson Sword logo-type.
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All nickel
Second Pattern
(sometimes
called Officers model according to collectors, although this is not correct).
All Bright Model - Nickel grip.
Capt. W.E. Fairbairn
preferred knives with white blades. He said that there is nothing which scares
the enemy as much as when he sees the glimpse of a bright blade in the dark. |
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Here is an early all nickel
version
2nd
Pattern which is referred to among collectors as Officers model.
Complete with correct sheath.
(Courtesy of Roy Shadbolt)
It was made by Wilkinson Sword. 40 923 knives were made by Wilkinson of this
type. |
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Here is another early all nickel
version
2nd
Pattern .(Private
collection)
These knives are more seldom
found than the First Pattern Wilkinson Knives! |
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Wilkinson
Sword never changed the name of this variation in their records.
When the words
’new design’
appears in
the contract book they refer to the knife without ricasso and all diamond
sectioned blade, bright blade and bright or black grip and cross guard.
There are some details about
Wilkinson Sword Company F-S knives to be considered:
1)
The all nickel plated WSC without this ricasso 2nd Pattern is
normally referred to among collectors as Officers Model. However this
nomenclature must be considered wrong because this variation was issued to
all ranks.
2)
The 2nd Pattern Wilkinson Sword F-S with diamond shaped hand
grounded blades without the square ricasso, all of them with Wilkinson logo
on one side and F-S logo on the other, existed in three variations
3)
Another point is that after 1943 when all black knives were issued the
Nickel 2nd Pattern were painted black and the bladed blacked by
armourers using gun blacking when the knives returned for refurbishing. This
happened 1944/45 when the 3rd pattern all blacks were issued. |
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Wilkinson Sword etching on
this knife |
Changes on the scabbard.
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The
press stud was changed for an elastic band.
The
scabbard had a black finished chape with flat end.
To the
left a scabbard for 1st Pattern
To the
right a scabbard for 2nd Pattern and some 3rd Pattern.
Read more about
Sheats here.... |
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Most
nickel 2nd Pattern knives became black at the end of WW2.
After the introduction of
the 3rd Pattern all black Commando knives,
all nickel plated knives, which returned 1944 – 1945 to military armourers
for refurbishing, had the hilts painted black and the blades treated with
gun blue or gun black chemicals.
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Here is a Wilkinson nickel 2nd
Pattern which has been painted black on the hilt (some still clearly visible)
and the blade treated with gun black. The ghost image of the Wilkinson logotype
can still be seen. The knife comes from a Commonwealth military depot. There are
several reports of 2nd Pattern knives which have been blackened. |
Wilkinson Sword made
2nd
Pattern knife with F-S logo
Black handle and white blade.
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2nd
Pattern F-S fighting knife with F-S logo on one side
and Wilkinson Sword's logo on the other
with its scabbard. Note the black finished chape and flat end.
Mid 1942 the 2nd pattern
had a change in blade shape and these of course had the black grip and
crosspiece.
It is unknown exactly how many Wilkinson made of this type
with black hilt and blank blade. |
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Wilkinson Sword had monopole
on etching the F-S mark on the knives throughout the war.
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2nd
Pattern F-S fighting knife with Wilkinson logotype
on one side and F-S logo on the other
It is likely to be a private purchase by C Hart Miller because his name is
etched to the blade.
Mid 1942 the 2nd pattern
had a change in blade shape and these of course had the black grip and
crosspiece.
It is unknown exactly how many Wilkinson made of this type
with black hilt and blank blade. |
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Wilkinson
had a War time production of about 1 500 2nd Pattern knives per week.
According to the Order books these 2nd Pattern knives were produced
by Wilkinson between 1942-02-06 and 1943-10-20. An estimation based on this
gives that about 53 000 knives were produced by them with black hilt. |
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For some reason, the F-S
knife was not considered a Small Arm and therefore did not come under the
jurisdiction of the CISA (Chief Inspector of Small Arms), Ordnance House,
Enfield.
This is confirmed by Jack
Wilkinson Latham in a letter as an answer to a circular from CISA dated 9th
January 1943.
courtesy of Robert
Wilkinson Latham |
Wilkinson Sword All Black Finish.
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After 6th of February 1943 all Wilkinson knives had Black
Finnish.
(Courtesy of Roy Shadbolt)
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Wilkinson Sword etching on
these all black knives. This type of etching is rare to find. |
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A very
beautiful and rare 2nd
Pattern F-S fighting knife with F-S logo on one side
and Wilkinson Sword's logo on the other.
Note the all black finish with a name scroll.
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Specifications for Second Pattern |
| Length over all |
11.6" - 11.9 " |
285 - 302 mm |
| Length of blade |
6.5" - 7" |
160 - 177 mm |
| Wheight |
220 - 240 gram |
220 - 240 gram |
Wilkinson
Sword F-S Knife – Production figures 2nd and 3rd Pattern
1940-1945
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Production Figures
2nd and 3rd Pattern(Courtesey of Robert
Wilkinson Latham) |
Continue...
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting Private
Purchase knife
2nd Pattern:
F-S Fighting knives without Wilkinson Sword logo-type.
x
[Top
of the page]
[Top of the
page]
References:
|
Robert Wilkinson Latham |
His own web
site |
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Alan W. Locken |
Commando 1940 - 1945 |
|
Robert A. Burlein |
Allied Military Fightingknives |
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Ron Flook
|
British and Commonwealth military knives. |
|
Fredrick J. Stephens |
Fighting Knives |
|
Frank Trzaska |
The O.S.S. Stiletto - Knife World February 1998. |
|
Frank Trzaska |
The Raider Stiletto - Knife World July 1997 |
|
Kelly Yeaton |
The First Commando Knives. |
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John Nowhill & son |
Sheffield |
|
Michigan
knives |
|
|
Dr. William Windrum |
The earliest commando knivesAllan W. Locken –
Commando 1940 - 1945. |
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