The Falklands FS knife.............does it exist?

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 09/01/2013 11:58:16

Just thought I would get a few opinions on this much debated topic.

Did the RM commandos who saw action in the Falklands get issued with an FS knife.

I have heard differing opinions as to whether they were or not.........including a close friend, who is a serving Special Forces officer today, who thinks it may have been up to the individual soldier at the time as to whether he took up the issue or not.

Any one got any further views?

regards

John M

One of my mates who serve in the Falklands certainly was issued one during his time at 45 Cdo. Whether he took it south, I'm not sure. Next time I see him, I will ask!

Thanks very much.

I am obliged.

regards

john M

John,

Interesting debate, from what i've read on the subject it appears that either 200 or 250 depending on the source were made at some point in 1982 on instruction from the MOD and delivered to Brize Norton for dispatch. I have also seen knives for sale allegedly being "Falklands Knives" stamped with the arrow and number 3 near the cross guard and a rather inflated asking price for a 3rd pattern.

the text below was taken from a knife forum which sounds a feasible explanation?

I hope I am allowed to raise an old chestnut from a closed thread i.e. the Falklands Commando Knife. In reading some of the old threads on this issue much was made over whether or not the Royal Marines carried it during the Falklands. Interestingly the one that is illustrated in British and Commonwealth Military Knives by Ron Flook makes no claims that they were issued to the RM. It just says that Wilkinsons received a telex order for 200 knives during the Falklands War.

In addition if you look at the timeline given in Wilkinson Lathams book on Wilkinsons and the F-S knife i.e. orderred on the 29th April 1982 delivered to Brize Norton on the 24th May 1982 it seems unlikely whoever they were intended for would have received them before the war ended on the 14th June. So whilst the knife clearly exists it was not for the Marines and probably never got issued during the actual conflict anyway.

Response

I know of several marines that carried them during the Falklands, they had them before the war and simply packed them with their other gear. As to if they were issued or not specifically for the Falklands that I can't answer for a day or two. Maybe the order of 200 was to supplement existing stores? I'll ask a couple of the older marines I know and post back here when I know more.

John, if you get more info on this I'd be interested to know. I suspect the knife was probably carried, maybe by other Regiments as well but not special issue for the campaign. As I know you're aware, there is a lot of debate over the authenticity of certain knifes especially the 1st pattern and it is quite difficult for non experts like myself to be 100% sure you're getting the genuine advertised atricle if purchasing.

Cheer Vic

Hello Vic

Thanks for your reply.

I must admit that I am now falling onto the side that they were maybe carried by some on the Falklands campaign but they were not a special issue. This makes the task, when sourcing a knife from that period, of knowing the provenance of who it was issued to even more important.

I'll let you know if I find out more.

Best regards

john M

John,

I agree with you,

Upon further research just trawling the net it appears to me that knives were taken to the Falklands, not only by Royal Marine Commandos but also the Parachute Regiment (and probably others) and it looks likely from descriptions that these were Nowill & Sons of Sheffield marked by their cross keys stamping. Whether these were officially handed out for the job, or personal items or standard issue before the conflict it is not clear. There are also reports of troops being put on standby to go (but didn't) being issued with the J Nowill knife?

Regards the 250 Wilkinson items that were allegedly produced for the conflict, from the photos I have seen they are all black 3rd pattern with a rather long Wilkinson etching that is about 1/3rd of the blade long from the cross guard. Although not shown on the photos, the Falklands Wilkinson Knives allegedly have the markings "FR693" stamped onto the handle near the pommel nut.

Hope this helps, most of this information and more is easily found by googling "Falklands FS knife"

Cheers Vic

Hi Vic

Regards the 250 alleged Wilkinson knives............it makes you wonder where are they now.

Languishing in a darkened store somewhere .........if some were issued maybe there are a few out there in the possession of some of the Falklands guys...........I must admit I've never seen one........

All the best

john M

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 19/01/2013 13:33:42

For info, the FS knives have always been included on the Equipment Tables of each of the Commando Units. As more efficient and multi-use knives were introduced over the years (pen knives, multi-tools, Gerbers, etc) these FS knives were used mainly for presentational purposes (leaving gifts). If the FS knife was issued for the Falklands Conflict, to Army or RM Commandos, I would presume that it would have been at unit QM level, not as a pan Commando Brigade 'operational issue', or lads simply taking their existing issued knife, if they had one.

When 3 Cdo Bde deployed on Operation TELIC 1 (Gulf War 2) the then Brigade Ordnance Warrant Officer the late Andy (Smudge) Smith MBE attempted to have a bulk issue initiated for the whole of the deploying Commando Bde (more for nostalgic/historical purpose that operational requirement). Unfortunately we found out that the contract had not been renewed due to the lack of demand for knives over previous years. We then advised all units to submit priority demands for these knives to justify the contract being renewed.

Regards

Whats the situation now Geoff...........are they standard issue?

Or issued as and when?

Regards

John M

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 29/01/2013 20:49:47

I was certainly issued an FS knife (Nowill & Sons 3rd for pattern) for Afghanistan (ended up going to Iraq instead). I was Zulu coy at the time however got it when I asked my TQ for one. I heard that all the SNCO's and some JNCO's had got them and didn't want to miss out.

As for your original question to Falklands issue, my friend tells me that he had his own one which he took south. He cannot recall them being issued purely for heading south.

Hope this helps.