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Old 9th July 2016, 06:50 PM   #6
mrcjgscott
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I also have a copy of a letter, addressed to a lady in Derbyshire, a Mrs Stone, who ordered two ring grip kukris sets from a company in Dehra Dun. This letter is dated to 1955, so still popular souvenirs ten years after the end of the war.

Some ring grip kukri may be found with “Military Supply Syndicate” stamped at the ricasso. No details of this company have yet been uncovered, but their name doesn’t appear on any known Issue kukris, and it is likely this mark was applied as a marketing tool, when being sold after the war.

This brings us neatly onto the last major piece of evidence, cited by the Ring Grip Kukri Appreciation Society. A letter, often quoted but never actually seen, from one Major General Michael Callan. A former Gurkha officer, who served in WW2 from late 1944 with the 1st Gurkha Rifles. He was approached and asked about his kukri, which he later forwarded with a packaging note to the author in question.

There are several themes to consider here:

1) The correspondence took place 65 years after the end of the war. After such a lapse of time, how much trust can we have that this eminent, yet elderly gentleman has his facts straight?

2) In my experience, a Gurkha officer almost always has more than one kukri. Was the kukri sent the one he carried during the war?

3) Can we trust that the kukri pictured is indeed the one which was sent by Major General Callan?

4) Can we assume that officers were issued kukri, as the rank and file were, or is it reasonable to assume that kukri were made and purchased privately, just as the rest of an officers kit would have been?

5) If they were issued kukri, were they of the same type as the enlisted men? Most gurkha regiments seem to have a distinctive style of kukri carried by officers.

Such evidence, which raises more questions, rather than providing answers, can at best only be described as “anecdotal” and cannot be deemed proof positive of ring gripped kukri being issued during WW2, or indeed, ever.

Some further points to consider, for those who may be interested.

Some officer’s kukri, notably the 4th and 10th Gurkha Rifles, especially from the period 1890-1940 can be seen to have silver rings on the grips, as a form of decoration. The rings on the kukri in question are not fixed in such a way as to serve as anything other than decoration.

Most enlisted mens kit is not decorated, especially with brass, which would still have been a restricted material at this point, being used for cartridge cases amongst other things. Also, why would you advertise your presence, by adding a highly reflective metal such as brass or steel to the hilt of your sidearm?

Another point, much overlooked, is that 95% of the ring gripped kukri I have ever handled are awful, useless mass produced rubbish. One or two good swings, especially if one made contact with, say, a branch, and the thing would have a split handle, or worse, the blade would be flying off through the air.

By the time these ring gripped examples can be proved to exist, i.e. late 1944 at the earliest, the tide was turning, and the war was being won. Would we really be equipping our famed gurkha regiments with kukris not fit for purpose?

The quality of bayonets and machetes remained good, so why would the production quality of kukris take a nosedive?

There is also the absence of markings to be considered. No makers markings, no issue markings, and no inspection markings. Sure, not all battalion and regimental issue kukri are marked, but lots are. Many carry a serial or soldiers (usually partial) service number to the spine or ricasso. Others have markings of one type or another carved to the hilt or scabbard.

I must have handled hundreds of these kukri, and never once have I seen, or been told about, an example which was marked up. One or two with spurious broad arrows certainly, just like many other kukri, but none with genuine period markings.

As I said at the start, I have no stake in this argument. If anything, it would be extremely beneficial to have these kukri vindicated as being issued during WW2, I would be sitting on a small fortune.

Were these kukri Indian Army Issue? At this moment in time, there is simply no primary sources to substantiate such a theory.

Were these kukri issued at a battalion or regimental level to new officers? Possibly, but seemingly unlikely, given the quality involved, and the lack of provenanced examples.

Were these kukri bought privately by officers and men? Certainly, from late 1944 onwards, there is evidence to show these kukris being carried. Although the vast majority are post war, and purchased as souvenirs and trophys.

Unfortunately, until some hard, academically acceptable historical evidence comes along to prove that they were issued, (and I think we will be waiting a very, very long time) then these kukri can only ever be considered as private purchase at best. And at the very most, I think only a fraction of a percent can be considered to be even that.

To conclude:

Buyer beware, do not accept any story revolving around ring gripped kukri at face value. If all the stories are to be believed, dying Gurkha’s bequeathed armfuls of these things! Avoid paying large sums for such pieces, they are plentiful, and can be found easily for less than the price of a crate of beer. Are they good quality? With some exceptions, most likely those produced earlier, NO! If you want a decent one, shop around. Handle a few, to get the feel of them, just as you would with any kukri. If you are one of those people who just wants one for display, there is nothing wrong with that, it looks fine on the wall as a representative example. Avoid the crudely chromed examples, find one with a plain steel blade.

I hope this has been of some use, and if you have questions, ask them here before buying, I will try to help you if I can.
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