Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - ww2 british chindit machete....locally made in SEA??

spiral · 16th February 2007, 05:09 PM

Well the Chindits were still fighting in 45 & these are usualy sold as Chindit machetes. {Even though most of the British Indian army wernt Chindits.}

I am sure there was much variation in weight. I only have one here at momment, its a fighter & it weights 14 oz & balances at 50% of its tottal length. {Intrestingly the chindit it came from also carried a kukri .}

I am sure both dha & machete got used as weapons on occasion as last resort. The earlier ones were weapon like in design but were still issued for cutting greenery.

Chindit Bowies were issued for sentry removal, Other than that Chindits were meant to be using thier guns, although for sure many Gurkhas still did there traditional do or die charges on occasion.

Yours sounds light compared to most mk.3s, surprising given the 6mm Spine as usualy they have no distal taper., but 18 oz does sound a like it could do both things.

It wasnt issued as a weapon to chindits but the ordance inspectorate was not told till about 1945 that they were bieng used to cut trees. {by Bernard Fergusen who was in charge of the 16th Brigade, coincedently, one of the 2 Chindit Brigades my father was with.}

Hope that adds a little more for you.

Spiral

16th February 2007, 05:09 PM	#5
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	Well the Chindits were still fighting in 45 & these are usualy sold as Chindit machetes. {Even though most of the British Indian army wernt Chindits.} I am sure there was much variation in weight. I only have one here at momment, its a fighter & it weights 14 oz & balances at 50% of its tottal length. {Intrestingly the chindit it came from also carried a kukri .} I am sure both dha & machete got used as weapons on occasion as last resort. The earlier ones were weapon like in design but were still issued for cutting greenery. Chindit Bowies were issued for sentry removal, Other than that Chindits were meant to be using thier guns, although for sure many Gurkhas still did there traditional do or die charges on occasion. Yours sounds light compared to most mk.3s, surprising given the 6mm Spine as usualy they have no distal taper., but 18 oz does sound a like it could do both things. It wasnt issued as a weapon to chindits but the ordance inspectorate was not told till about 1945 that they were bieng used to cut trees. {by Bernard Fergusen who was in charge of the 16th Brigade, coincedently, one of the 2 Chindit Brigades my father was with.} Hope that adds a little more for you. Spiral