WW1 Khukri Identification
Article about: I very recently was given this WW1 Ghurka Khukri by a friend who has emigrated to Australia I dont know ANYTHING of it its past, only that it belonged to his father and it was apparantly aqu
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Re: WW1 Khukri Identification
Yes, I would support your guess that this is for the 1st Battalion, 6th Gurkha Rifles.
They served in WWI (the period in which I'd tend to place this khukri) in India, Egypt, Gallipoli (quite nasty service there), and Mesopotamia. In WWII they were in India and Burma.
I'd guess that 4420 is his regimental number. As this regiment went into British service in 1947, the records have disappeared from research access.
A very nice real (rather than toy) khukri. Nice to imagine it being in the hand of a Gorkha sepoy in the sole battalion to reach the heights at Gallipoli (before friendly fire intervened).
We'll never know for sure.
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Re: WW1 Khukri Identification
Thats very good info Ed, Thankyou, It would be soooooooo nice to actualy know who it was given to and the rest would surely be unravled by service records
sadly as you say a lot of the ww1 records are missing, I might have to try and speak with the IWM and see if they have anything, maybe even a sister blade? which may narrow it down
I agree, It would be lovely to think it was a faithfull servant at important times, if only it could talk.......
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Re: WW1 Khukri Identification
While they are only as helpful as their limited staff and budget allows, I'd suggest you ask the folks at the Gurkha Museum:
The Gurkha Museum Winchester
As this is a Gora Gorkha regiment (a regiment that went into British service), they might have something.
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Re: WW1 Khukri Identification
ah, ok, as i understand it though the earlier blades were longer and narower so potentially it could be pre ww1 then? and it could have been made anywhere in the world i suppose!!!
my uncle has a ww2 version that was given to him by his late father (Col Coates of the Royal Irish Rangers) and his is a very simmilar to your versions (which look fantastic!)in design and the case its in, its vastly different to my one anyway
I have contacted the Ghurka Museum at Winchester (thanks for the link Ed) so will see if they can come up with anything definate?
it might not even be a military blade? but the markings must mean something its just finding the info!!!
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Re: WW1 Khukri Identification
by
Bellerophons Horse
ah, ok, as i understand it though the earlier blades were longer and narower so potentially it could be pre ww1 then? and it could have been made anywhere in the world i suppose!!!
my uncle has a ww2 version that was given to him by his late father (Col Coates of the Royal Irish Rangers) and his is a very simmilar to your versions (which look fantastic!)in design and the case its in, its vastly different to my one anyway
I have contacted the Ghurka Museum at Winchester (thanks for the link Ed) so will see if they can come up with anything definate?
it might not even be a military blade? but the markings must mean something its just finding the info!!!
I have just put military kukri into google and found this forum,International Kukri Research and Historical Society » IKRHS » Kukri » Khukuri » Gurkha » Military Knives a site dedicated to kukri research. hope this helps, John. blackpowder44
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Re: WW1 Khukri Identification
Thanks for that link, upon checking on there there seems to be a lot of definate military Khukri blades with single construction handles, including a Restored ww1Ghurka officers version, that looks remarkebly the same as my one, although my blade looks to have been put to much greater use and bears the marks of use and sharpening upon its entire length
It also says that some blades were made "in house" by either the soldiers themselves or by the individual battalion or regt
i suppose that may explain the absence of a crow foot or makers mark? as they simply didnt have access to one, or even need one as it was considered a simple personal weapon that could be made in a relatively short time, i would also imagine a single piece construction handle would be more time consuming and require more craftsmanship to make it fit to the tang than a 2 piece riveted type would? and maybe the handle was re used from blade to blade if the need arose?
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