He was to serve for three years untill 1917 when he was badly wounded and returned to England on a hospital ship. This is the message in the Christmas card. As you can see, Archie was a man of few words! The first Christmas of the war, and the troops received a card from the princess Mary and gift boxes, I think this was when the "gift" knives were distributed. She still had his army issue knife when I was a kid and used the can opener in her kitchen. He was among the first troops to be sent fron England to Belgium to fight in WW1 He sent this post card to grandma. This is my grandad, he would have been 18 or 19 years old at the time this was taken in 1914 and was a reservist in the teritorial army. I have some family momentos from WW1 which ties in with this thread and which will give a flavour of the time, so may I introduce Archie? It's been a while since I posted here, not had anything to contribute but I have been dropping by now and again for a look-see! Please feel free to add knives, cooments or questions. This example was made by Wade and Butcher. While not an official issue knife, the jack knives with tin opener and bone scales were included in gift boxes sent to the troops during WWI. Beautiful bone scales on the this one and a nail nick on the can opener is different from the Sheffield-made knives. The last knife in the photo was made for the Canadian forces by Schatt & Morgan of Titusville PA. The handle is marked with M & D for Militia and Defense 1915. The middle knife is the same basic spec made by Thomas Turner & Co but with metal scales. The first is the typical British 6353 knife made by Wostenholm, but marked on the spike with the Canadian broad arrow inside a C. Next are three examples of circa WW1 knives for use by Canadian Forces. Both marked with W arrow D the War Department mark. Two typical examples seen in pic 1 made by Jos Rodgers & Sons and Frank Mills. The shackle made from number 11 guage copper wire. The overall length closed is 4 7/8 inches with the spear blade 3 1/2 inches from kick to point. The three attachments to be made of the best 'cast steel'. The scales were changed from stag to chequered horn. Just before WWI, in 1913, the specs were updated. The first knife in pic 1 is an example made by Hunter Sheffield and marked with the Broad Arrow and I for use by troops in India. The original spec comprised of stag scales. It first appeared in 1905 and remained basically the same until the start of WWII. The basic army-issue clasp knife with marline spike and tin opener in the first part of the 1900s was the pattern 6353/1905.
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