British WW2 Home-Guard Machete.

B

Blake the Blade

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​I work as a maintenance operative in West Sussex, England. The university where I work has a long history and some fine old buildings attached to it. One of these, adjacent to the main campus, is a rambling old Georgian edifice known as 'Oaklands'. Much of this place is now converted into music rehearsal rooms, I myself rehearse here with my own folk band and there is a great feel to the place. Anyway, when I first took the job I was told that Oaklands was where the Home Guard for this particular area of Chichester were based during WW2. This, for a history buff like myself, added interest to a building I already found intriguing. A bit later on I was talking to the estates carpenter about the place, who told me that when they were working there years before, when it was still quite dilapidated, he had found something which he thought I might find interesting. From the back of his tool cupboard he pulled what was immediately recognisable as a sheathed machete. The carpenter told me that he believed the machete, covered in cement dust and splashes of paint, might have a military connection because of the arrow on the blade. To my great delight he handed it to me and said I could have it, as it was no longer any use to him. I thanked my workmate, who incidentally retires this week (best wishes John), and took it home for a bit of careful restoration. It cleaned up very well and it was clear that the knife was indeed military in origin. What I don't think John noticed, and neither did I until I cleaned the muck from the sheath, was the three letters stamped on the back, B.H.G. I can only assume that this stands for British Home Guard which, for me, is a wonderful link between the object and the history of the place where it was found. The machete itself, marked 1943, pre-dates the sheath, marked 1944, and the blade is stamped with the Sheffield makers mark S&J Kitchin Ltd. It's fascinating to think what uses this, and blades like it, were put to during the uncertain years when it was produced, when the very real threat of invasion necessitated the clearing of areas for the trenches and guns that would defend the south of England. Interesting also to imagine what uses it may have had to have been put to had the enemy arrived.

url=https://flic.kr/p/tarhDU]
17828415022_7b1aef1f8e_c.jpg
[/url]Untitled by Mark Saunders, on Flickr
Untitled by Mark Saunders, on Flickr
Untitled by Mark Saunders, on Flickr
Untitled by Mark Saunders, on Flickr
Untitled by Mark Saunders, on Flickr
Untitled by Mark Saunders, on Flickr
Untitled by Mark Saunders, on Flickr
 
Wonderful find — and a wonderful gift — and fine restoration job.

Did you ever ask John if he used it around the place, just as an ordinary garden tool? It's a machete after all, good for clearing overgrown shrubbery, even after the need to clear fields of fire has passed.

Anyway, a great memento.

For what it's worth, my father brought back from his WW2 army service (New Guinea, Leyte, Luzon) a 10- or 12-inch native-made bolo in a wooden sheath. As I recall, the steel it had was fairly soft — at least it didn't hold much of an edge for long. However small and easily dulled, it was what Filipino country people used for an all-purpose knife and machete. Unfortunately, Dad's bring-back went missing years and years ago.

So hang onto what you have — it's a real treasure.
 
AreBeeBee said:
Wonderful find — and a wonderful gift — and fine restoration job.

Did you ever ask John if he used it around the place, just as an ordinary garden tool? It's a machete after all, good for clearing overgrown shrubbery, even after the need to clear fields of fire has passed.

Anyway, a great memento.

For what it's worth, my father brought back from his WW2 army service (New Guinea, Leyte, Luzon) a 10- or 12-inch native-made bolo in a wooden sheath. As I recall, the steel it had was fairly soft — at least it didn't hold much of an edge for long. However small and easily dulled, it was what Filipino country people used for an all-purpose knife and machete. Unfortunately, Dad's bring-back went missing years and years ago.

So hang onto what you have — it's a real treasure.
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That's a shame about your dad's machete Arebee. You know looking at the blade on mine it seems to show absolutely no sign of use at all, just has a nice patina. I put the edge back on it myself which was real easy to do, it's really sharp, and put in the bottom of a tool chest where it's remained. But yes, in the right situation a really useful tool. Thanks for your interest. :thumbup:
 
Another well-written and fascinating thread my friend, thanks for sharing this interesting find with us :thumbup: Both knife and sheath look to be very well made :)
 
Nice story and nice find mate :thumbup: though I shudder it think what would of happed with it in the hands of pvt pike ( dads army ) :D
 
Great machette in a fine sheath, and a great piece of history.

My great uncle Fred was in the home guard. His job, with three other guys, was to patrol a golf course looking for paratroopers. He said he didn't know what they'd have done if they'd found one, armed as they were with one pike for the four of them.

I have an 1868(?) pattern British cavalry lance that's been cut down and its butt wrapped in lead. I like to think some home guardsman preferred it to the bayonet welded to a gas-pipe that uncle Fred was issued.

this sounds familiar- I hope I'm not repeating my posts.
 
scrteened porch said:
Great machette in a fine sheath, and a great piece of history.

My great uncle Fred was in the home guard. His job, with three other guys, was to patrol a golf course looking for paratroopers. He said he didn't know what they'd have done if they'd found one, armed as they were with one pike for the four of them.

I have an 1868(?) pattern British cavalry lance that's been cut down and its butt wrapped in lead. I like to think some home guardsman preferred it to the bayonet welded to a gas-pipe that uncle Fred was issued.

this sounds familiar- I hope I'm not repeating my posts.
Click to expand...

Great story mate '.....they don't like it up em' :thumbup:
 
scrteened porch said:
Great machette in a fine sheath, and a great piece of history.

My great uncle Fred was in the home guard. His job, with three other guys, was to patrol a golf course looking for paratroopers. He said he didn't know what they'd have done if they'd found one, armed as they were with one pike for the four of them.

I have an 1868(?) pattern British cavalry lance that's been cut down and its butt wrapped in lead. I like to think some home guardsman preferred it to the bayonet welded to a gas-pipe that uncle Fred was issued.

this sounds familiar- I hope I'm not repeating my posts.
Click to expand...

In the first year of the home guard in the UK rifles and ammo and uniforms were in short supply . so they were armed with whatever they could get their hands on . kitchen knifes tired to sticks . pitch forks . axes . side buy side shotguns . and bayonets from the great war . god help us if they're attack then :eek: . but as you see from this machete the quality of their equipment got a lot better and they became the formidable force for the last line of defence .
 
Surprisingly high quality scabbard (do Machetes have sheathes or?) for a government service issue during a war.

Looks like it could still be put to good use on rough ground, ditching etc and much better than petrol strimmers which have killed so many small animals such as Hedgehogs from careless use. Keeps you fit too!

Thanks, Will
 
GREAT Piece Blake :thumbup:
I love the fact that you found it right where it was used and that you have such a strong tie to that place as well!:cool::cool::cool:


Dave
 
Nice historical bit of "Kit" (did I get that right?) Blake. Shame that so much interesting WW II gear has been disposed of or rusted away.
 
Love it! I actually have a 1943 Collins and Company Machete that still sees some use occasionally! Great gift!
 
Will Power said:
Surprisingly high quality scabbard (do Machetes have sheathes or?) for a government service issue during a war.

Looks like it could still be put to good use on rough ground, ditching etc and much better than petrol strimmers which have killed so many small animals such as Hedgehogs from careless use. Keeps you fit too!

Thanks, Will
Click to expand...

Yeah think you're right Will, scabbard would be more appropriate.
 
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