Bidspirit auction | Fairbairn-Sykes MKIII Steel Fighting Knife

Fairbairn-Sykes MKIII Steel Fighting Knife with provenance - A 20th-century 3rd pattern Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife featuring a double-edged steel stiletto blade with known provenance. Belonged to James Donald Tolmie Wright who was part of the Chindits, officially known as Long Range Penetration Groups, were special operations units of the British and Indian armies which saw action in 1943–1944 during the Burma Campaign of World War II. The hilt is constructed with a blackened machine-turned brass grip featuring a ringed texture for improved handling, secured by a visible pommel nut. The weapon is fitted with a straight, oval steel crossguard. The blade has a central median ridge and tapers to a fine point. The knife is accompanied by a brown leather ”sew-on” style scabbard. This scabbard features four leather wings for attachment to a uniform, a retaining strap with a metal snap fastener, and a blackened brass chape. The reverse side of the belt loop bears the hand-scratched inscription ”FIELD” in capital letters. A stamped numeric sequence ”7302 W” or ”7302 M” is impressed on the leather frog. No maker marks or government acceptance stamps are visible on the metal components. Overall Length: Approximately 11.5 inches Blade Length: Approximately 7 inches.