P1907 unit bayonet marking?

[Matt2]

Hi,

I have a First World War bayonet with the marking 'OX' or 'XO' depending on which way round you read it. I believe 'OX' to be the abbreviation of The Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, is this assumption correct or does the marking mean something else?

The bayonet is 1916 Wilkinson produced, does anyone know how much this maybe worth considering the marking on the grip?

Regards Matt

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Better quality image here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77855005@N04/7313736482/in/photostream

[ph3s]

hi, I don't think it's a British unit marking. Those guys in old days liked to do it in a proper way. So unit marks were punched on the pommel

Markings on British and Commonwealth Bayonets

[Battery Command Post]

I would agree, it's definitely not an official marking. They were always punched into the pommel as ph3s says. It might be some kind of personal mark perhaps?

Rob

[Matt2]

Hi,
I was thinking the soldier may have unit marked it, the 'X' would seem an unusual initial as I don't know many who have a first or surname that start with that letter and when I came across 'OX' being shorthand for the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry I presumed it may relate to them. Of course if it isn't that then it may not be the persons initials but what else might it be? Thanks for your help
Regards Matt

[Battery Command Post]

Xavier O'Reilly maybe? Hug and Kiss?

You are right though, the official markings for the Oxf and Bucks LI would have been OX, but would more likely have been in a form like 2 OX (for 2nd Battalion) with a rack number below it.

Rob

[Matt2]

Hi,
lol, bit of a long shot but you could be right

I see your point, it does seem a bit of an idle marking so it could be anything, I think it has been done by a soldier as there are other scratches on the other side (very light marks) that don't appear to mean anything but could have been made by the same tool. I mean even if the soldier marked the infantry code into his bayonet it would certainly help him to recognise it, although I'm not entirely sure why they wouldn't just put their initials in it?

Regards Matt

[Stinkpotpete]

X for a stick, O for a miss? So he would have been 1 for 2?