Ross Rifle Bayonet

[Salzburg]

Here is my bayonet & scabbard from the Ross Rifle Company.

This is a knife bayonet from the period of 1908 into WWI. It was produced parallel with, and in reality replaced by, the Canadian version of the British Pattern 1907. Except for markings, it is virtually identical to the US Ross Model 1905.

There is much confusion over the correct name/model for this bayonet and it has been known by many different titles:-

Canadian Ross Rifle Bayonet, Model 1910 (aka Mark I Ross; aka Model 1905; aka Model 1905/1910; aka Pattern 1908; aka Model 1910, etc).

The 1905 designation is due to the 1905 adoption and issue of the .303 caliber Ross Rifle. However, the Ross Rifle was not originally equipped to allow attachment of a bayonet. The bayonet was officially adopted in 1908, although patented prior to that in 1907, but was not issued until 1910 (the confusion over model-year designation becomes very apparent). In reality this bayonet is best known as the Ross Rifle 1910 Mark II Bayonet.

These bear the distinctive markings:-

ROSS RIFLE CO. / QUEBEC / PATENTED 1907 on the pommel, right (obverse); various acceptance/inspection marks can be found on the left side (reverse). These marks usually consist of:-

Two-character designation II (for MkII); an "arrowhead shape in a circle," the Canadian Government Ownership Mark; a "crown over a number" is a Ross Factory Inspection mark; and an issue date, i.e. 6/10 (June 1910).

The .303 Ross Rifle and Bayonet were used by Canadian units in WWI from about 1914 to 1918. They were phased-out, when possible, by the .303 Lee-Enfield Rifle and Bayonet.

This particular bayonet is a Second Pattern with an issue date of February 1916. It has a modified blade with a sharper profile than the original, a change which took place from October 1915. Unfortunately, the Regimental Number visible on the scabbard cannot be clearly deciphered.

[YankeeSpirit76]

The Ross bayonets marked "US" were simply Ross bayonets bought from Canada by the US. They were only used in training by America. They never saw action.