Fighting knives used by British commandos and SOE during WW2
 

Commando knife made by John Blyde

                                                               

Text and pictures by
Olof Janson unless otherwise stated.

Special honour should be given to:

  • Robert Wilkinson-Lath    am,
  • Ron Flook,
  • Roy Shadbolt.

Who have given me much assistance.  

On the picture to the left:

Mark on the blade - JOHN BLYDE

 

updated 2013-02-12

 

INDEX
Forming of Commandos
The Shanghai fighting knives
1st Pattern F-S Fighting knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting Private Purchase knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting w/o Wilkinson trademark.like B2, Fat Man, Reverse Knurling
3rd Pattern F-S Fighting knife
Beaded & Ringed - Roped & Ringed

Steel hilt and Different hilts
Wood handles.

US Marine Raider Stiletto OSS - Stiletto w.'Pancake Flapper' and
Odd knives

Three Indian F-S Commando Knives
Sheaths
Marks
UK Commando knives; Postwar production

 

Commando knife marked on the blade with

John Blyde

Clintock works

Sheffield

 

 

I asked Ron Flook about this knife because a similar appears in his excellent book on plate 156.

He answered:

 "Very difficult to know about these wood gripped knives with marked blades.  They could be post war but I belive they could well be late war production.   We do known from photographic eveidence that wood gripped knives were carried around the time of D-Day so it is possible that marked knives were made around this time, possibly even as private purchase.

 But like many thing we will never know for 100% sure."
 

A fellow collector bought this knife with provenance from a veteran.
He got this letter with this knife.

 

 

 

 

 

Oval shaped cross guard of brass

 

Recessed nut

 

I have found two sheaths, beside the ususal FS scabbard, for this type of knife.
One from Sheffield England.

 

Sheath of ordinary hunting style.

marked:
MADE IN
SHEFFIELD ENGLAND

 

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The other one from Canada or USA reminding me about the M6 scabbard.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Forming of Commandos
The Shanghai fighting knives
 

There are three basic modells of the F-S fighting knife.
1st Pattern F-S Fighting knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting Private Purchase knife
2nd Pattern F-S Fighting w/o Wilkinson trademark.
like B2, Fat Man, Reverse Knurling
3rd Pattern F-S Fighting knife
Beaded & Ringed - Roped & Ringed

Steel hilt and Different hilts
Wood handles.

OSS - Stiletto w.'Pancake Flapper' and
US Marine Raider Stiletto

Three Indian F-S Commando Knives

Odd knives
Sheaths
Marks
Sheaths
UK Commando knives; Postwar production

 

The Stalingrad Sword made by Wilkinson Sword.

 

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References:
Robert Wilkinson Latham His own web site
Alan W. Locken Commando 1940 - 1945
Robert A. Burlein Allied Military Fightingknives
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.
John Nowhill & son Sheffield
Michigan knives  
Dr. William Windrum  The earliest commando knivesAllan W. Locken – Commando 1940 - 1945.