Remington 1917 French Foreign Legion

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ironhorse
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Remington 1917 French Foreign Legion

Post by ironhorse »

Picked this up tonight at the local auction. From what I could find it was cut down into a fighting or trench knife for the French Forieng Legion from a 1917 bayonet.
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Eustace
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Location: Bulgaria

Re: Remington 1917 French Foreign Legion

Post by Eustace »

What is the connection with the French Legion? The shortening of the bayonet can be done during the war or later. Here in Bulgaria the villages are full of bayonets turned into pig stickers.
ironhorse
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Re: Remington 1917 French Foreign Legion

Post by ironhorse »

Ok this is what I could find , did some research , during WW2 the M1917 rifle with bayonet were issued to the Free French Forces thru lend lease program, and were used by the French after WW2. As the rifles dwindled or fell into disrepair , and a need arouse for a new fighting knife, the M1917 bayonet was cut down and put into service, either with a clip or spear point. The knives were showing up in the US around the late 80's or early 90's as French Foreign Legion knives, but they were issued to both the regular French forces and the Foreign Legion. This was sourced from an article by Frank Trzaska
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zzyzzogeton
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Re: Remington 1917 French Foreign Legion

Post by zzyzzogeton »

Not every shortened sword in the US came "via the French Foreign Legion". In fact, I doubt very many of the M1905/M1917 bayonets shortened for WW2 use (or later) that are found in the US today have any history back to the FFL.

Thousands of old swords and sword bayonets of all flavors were shortened during the early days of WW2 to provide knives for soldiers and Marines. San Antonio Ironworks did a booming sword shortening business during this time frame. There were other companies around the nation who did the same.

Unless you have written provenance documenting transfer of a specific knife from a specific member of the FFL, then all you have is a knife made from shortened sword blade. I have multiple knives made from swords and sword bayonets, including a few that started out as either M1917s or M1905s.

Asserting that a particular knife was used by the FFL simply because it was made from a bayonet of the same model of bayonet as what was provided to the French is stretching credulity.
ironhorse
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Re: Remington 1917 French Foreign Legion

Post by ironhorse »

I was not trying to assert or give provenance to this knife , I was just describing from what information that I was able to find.
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Phaeton
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Re: Remington 1917 French Foreign Legion

Post by Phaeton »

As a youth in the 1960's I had a bayonet stamped "1917" I used for throwing. It was a bit longer than the one pictured and had no trouble penetrating 3/4" plywood at 15 paces. The French Foreign Legion was mentioned at the garage sale.

The Gerber Mark 1 used for throwing put its tip 1/2" inside a 55 gallon barrel when I missed a small target. I quit using the barrel for a backdrop, the bayonet would have broken the tip off.
The bayonets used in Viet Nam did not throw very well with my style, but the 1917 seemed designed to pierce targets at fifty feet and further, and do it with authority.
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