Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ian · 16th March 2006, 05:04 AM

Hi Alan62:

I think you may be referring to the British Mk. 3 version of the military dah. The Mk. 3 came with a nicely fitted leather sheath, split down one side to allow easy unsheathing of the machete, and held in the scabbard with a leather strap and press stud. Rather fancy for a "crude" machete.

These machetes were produced in India for the Chindit forces under Major General Ord Wingate. The Chindits were behind the lines forces who were airlifted into Japanese occupied Burma and worked with local native groups, notably the Kachin, to harass the occupying Japanese army and help keep open the Burma Road between India and China.

There is a thread here about the Chindit machete: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=Chindit

The dha you show above is not an example of the Mk. 3, but rather a Kachin sword dha of the WWII period in a leather sheath. The Mk. 3 is quite short, wider, and squared off at the end, more of a dao like the Kachin working sword that is carried in an open-faced scabbard.

Ian.

16th March 2006, 05:04 AM	#11
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,031	"Chindit machete" - British Mk. 3 Dah (1944) Hi Alan62: I think you may be referring to the British Mk. 3 version of the military dah. The Mk. 3 came with a nicely fitted leather sheath, split down one side to allow easy unsheathing of the machete, and held in the scabbard with a leather strap and press stud. Rather fancy for a "crude" machete. These machetes were produced in India for the Chindit forces under Major General Ord Wingate. The Chindits were behind the lines forces who were airlifted into Japanese occupied Burma and worked with local native groups, notably the Kachin, to harass the occupying Japanese army and help keep open the Burma Road between India and China. There is a thread here about the Chindit machete: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=Chindit The dha you show above is not an example of the Mk. 3, but rather a Kachin sword dha of the WWII period in a leather sheath. The Mk. 3 is quite short, wider, and squared off at the end, more of a dao like the Kachin working sword that is carried in an open-faced scabbard. Ian. Last edited by Ian; 16th March 2006 at 05:42 AM.