First World War Enfield Kukri

[mrcjgscott]

Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook

Chris,
I was going to comment on the different bolster in my previous post and forgot;
Interesting that it is flush with the handle, and not apparently covering the wood to any degree, as do 'normal' bolsters on kukris.
Re. supply and such;
It is intriguing to ponder why these kukris were made and for whom.
Low numbers suggest a trial run, inspected and approved at RSAF Enfield.
Possibly for British units being posted in India and associated area???

Myself, I always wonder why a kukri wasn't issued to All troops! Better chopper than any knife, whether firewood or an antagonist!

Hello Richard,

Yes, the bolster is unusual in that respect, well spotted!

It is possible that they were a trial run, the two dates certainly suggest they were only made during a specific period to fulfil a particular gap in production, possibly whilst the Indian contractors upped their own production capacity.

I still think the Western front, Egypt, etc is the most likely destination, purely for proximity reasons. Troops heading to India could easily collect them upon arrival.

It is the scabbards that really intrigue me, the idea of one universal pattern makes a great deal of sense. I suspect cost was the deciding factor in why they weren't formally adopted.

Kukri's would have been a great general issue item, but with bayonets and jack knives, I guess weight and cost issues would never have allowed it.

Kind regards,

Chris