1st Pattern FS fighting Knife site example

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 06/10/2009 22:40:39

Hi Everyone

I have been asked recently about the FS knife that is re-produced on our site to the right of the page.

This is the 1st pattern FS issued to my father Bob Mewett when he was in No 12 Commando in 1942.

It is also the knife that was used as the example for the Alrewas memorial.

The memorial in size is an exact 4X reproduction of this knife to within 1/1000 of an inch.

A rare beauty indeed.

Regards

John M

Thanks for posting this interesting info. about the knife John!

Your father was lucky, as he seems to have received what was probably one of the last 1st patterns to be issued.

The 1st patt. was manufactured by Wilkinson from November 1940, with full wartime production starting in January 1941. Wilkinson records tally that 6,779 1st patterns were made until final deliveries in April 1941.

The 2nd pattern was then manufactured by Wilkinson from August 1941 onwards, with production also sub-contracted from other companies, until the introduction of the 3rd pattern knife in late 1942.

The real rarity of the 1st pattern knives is that only Wilkinson ever manufactured these, and are the scarcest of all.

A real treasure!

Good Evening everyone , just a short note , i have at Home Dad's F&S Knife , the tip is slightly damaged.....as we were allowed to fool around with it when we were kids , under our Fathers watchfull eye !! , one of my Brothers dropped it on stone and the tip of the blade was damaged....i am at the moment in deep Africa (Angola) , but when i get back Home in November i will photograph it and put it on the site , Dad's initials are stamped on the top side of the "guard"....it is exactly like the one we have on the site.....now, when it was issued to our Father i honestly cannot say....it is incredible the little we know about our Father's war years........he was always reluctant to talk abou the War.....and yes i can understand it..........they went to Hell and back...those that survived !! God Bless everyone - Anthony Stilwell

Thanks Macdonald & Anthony

For your replies to this post.

I agree it is amazing what little we know about our fathers war time experiences.

The most intriguing thing to me is how my father hung onto his FS as he was later posted to No1 Cdo and as we all know they went to India & Burma.

He must have secreted it in his kit in some way as I don't think the FS was standard issue in the Far East..............I do still have his Kukri that was issued and I know saw action out there.........I think dad was a bit of a hoarder.

And I Bless him for it!!

Best Regards

John M

PS anyone else out there with thier fathers or GF's original issues......??

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 21/10/2009 23:56:12

Hi

Although my father was with No1 Commando from the day it was created ie 4th March 1941 and was with No's 9 and 11 Independent Companies and 1 Special Service Battalion prior to this, he was not issued with the 1st pattern FS knife. His knife is the 2nd B2 pattern, which I am lucky to still have and have previously posted images of it on to this site. After he was demobbed in 1946, he left all of his Commando artefacts at his parents house, these things remained there after he reinlisted with his parent regiment in Dec of 46. When he married my mother in 1947 he reclaimed these things, unfortunately one of his younger brothers decided that the best way to mount the knife on a display plaque was to drill and tap two holes in the handle to enable it to be screwed to the plaque. It sends a shudder through me every time I look at these two holes! However I must admit that I have found an old imperial threaded machine screw that fits these holes and have used one of them to mount the knife in a dispaly frame. For those who have not seen it, I have attached a photo of it with this message.
I recently had a meeting with a veteran of No1 who was in 5 Troop with my father, I asked him if he still had his knife, unfortunately he decided to hand it in to the police during a recent knife amnesty. I didn't like to say anything to him at the time but I was really saddened to think that a fantastic piece of history has probably been melted down for scrap!

Cheers Andy

Hi Andy
That's a very nice example. I have a 2nd Pattern but mine has a silver handle but it is the same in every other way.

I think the issuing of the knives was very much a who had the stock and where it was located.

I have been lucky enough over the last few years to speak with several former No 12 Cdos and they all seem to have received the 1st Pattern......luck of the draw I suppose. It is a wonderful object in a strange sort of way.

It resonates with a terrible beauty.

Regards as always

John M

Hello everybody,
I have not posted a message before, so have patience.
My father, Harold Holland Wales joined 12 commando in 1941. His parent unit was the Border Regiment. He was issued with a 1st pattern FS fighting knife, with a leather scabbard. They are both in excellent condition and in my possession.
I also have his 12 cdo shoulder flashes and his Combined Ops cloth badges.
I recall him saying that he was interviewed for "unspecified special operations", ie commandos, by Lord Lovat in Edinburgh Castle.
Regards
Barry Wales

Hi Barry

Any chance of a few photos of the knife, scabbard, shoulder titles and badges, they would be a superb addition to the memrobilia section of the Gallery. Do you have any photos of your father during his time in the Commandos, again these would be a great addition to the No12 gallery, also was you father posted to No1 Commando, when No12 was disbanded? If so have you checked out the superb No1 panoramic group photo that John had restored and has now been uploaded to the No1 album.

Cheers Andy